


A Misfit's Worth

by Xenobia



Series: Hazards of the Occupation [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Conspiracy, Drama, F/M, Het, Humor, Implied Relationships, Past Relationship(s), Post-Canon, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-02 13:04:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4061071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place a year after "A Captain's Promise". Levi still waits for Annie Leonhart to come out of her crystal cocoon so that he can get some answers and see justice done. Against his will, he grows closer to Hange, as she's the only one of his comrades that has been unfailingly supportive of him since losing his squad. Enemies of the Survey Corps work harder to have them disbanded, and Captain Levi finds himself teamed up with Hange more and more often in their struggle to keep the Legion intact.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not all major events in the timeline of this fanfiction will follow canon story events. I hope you enjoy!

_*Disclaimer: I don't own any of the canon characters or the world they belong in. This is for non-profit entertainment only._

* * *

"Shitty glasses", "four eyes", "crazed bitch" and "idiot" were the monikers that Levi Ackerman most often employed with Hange Zoë. She was a loose canon, unkempt, reckless and more often than not, her recklessness endangered the lives of others. She was also obsessive with her titan research and even her assistant Moblit seemed to think she was slipping into insanity. Captain Levi could have told the man that he could stop worrying; she was already there.

Interestingly enough, his contempt for Hange had lost its bite over the past year. Since the events surrounding Annie Leonhart and her female titan form, Hange was the only person that ever inquired as to how he was doing. Everyone else was either too afraid to do so or convinced that Levi didn't feel things the way others did. Honestly, he preferred it to be that way. Emotions were a weakness; he'd learned that very early on in life.

Then Hange returned from an expedition in a very sorry state. All of her squad save Moblit had died, and Hange took it out on herself. She was for once wordless as they returned from the expedition. Filthy and bloodied with both evaporating titan blood and the heart's fluid of her own people, she spoke not a word as they passed back through the gates. Levi found himself riding beside her, covertly watching her as the callous, cruel observations of onlooker struck them all like arrows.

_"I can't believe our taxes keep paying for this. Why does the queen keep allowing it?"_

He could have told them that the queen was once one of them, and she understood better than most the importance of them pressing on and digging out new territory. It was pointless though. He saw the broken look in Hange's eyes and he could empathize. He'd worn it himself on many a return. Hange's arm was in a sling, hanging useless again as it had before when they'd gone up against the anti human suppression squad. As much shit as Levi gave her, he had to give her credit for fighting it out with her underlings until the bitter end. It was a miracle that she was still alive.

"Squad leader, I demand to know what happened to my son!"

Levi frowned at the person that had broken from the crowd, and he answered for his companion in a neutral tone. "There was nothing left to bring back. We'll see to it that you get his badge and what's left of his uniform for burial rights."

The man pulled back, stunned. Levi affixed him with a level gaze, silently warning him not to overstep himself. Beside him, Hange gave him a curious look through the thick lenses of her goggles. Levi ignored it. His attention was focused on the bereaved parent. "His squad leader did her best. This is a hazard of the occupation. Don't point fingers."

Hange was studying him with a bit of awe on her face. Levi kept looking straight ahead as they rode on, unwilling to justify his actions in sticking up for her. Let her wonder. He'd had his share of demands from bereaved love ones to know exactly what it was like to provide no immediate answer to their questions. Onward they rode, each squad member stony-faced and silent. Once they made it out of the reclaimed Trost district and back to headquarters, they were able to breathe easier. Jaeger and his friends requested leave to have a bit of rest and relaxation, and Levi granted it. After debriefing with Erwin, Levi and Hange were excused as well.

"Come on, Levi," Hange urged, tugging on his arm, "let's go and drink!"

Levi frowned at her. "We just got back and the first thing you want to do is get wasted?"

She sighed, her smile dropping. "I lost good men today. Humor me a little, won't you? Moblit doesn't drink and everyone else is still reeling from the deaths we faced today."

He sighed, looking down. He tried to ignore the curious look Erwin was giving them. He looked at Hange's bloody arm sling and he compressed his lips. "First we get cleaned up," he insisted, "and then I'll have a drink with you."

She smiled tremulously at him. "Thank you, Levi. I knew I could count on you."

She was about to break. He could see it, and it bothered him more than he cared to admit. He thought of how diligently she stayed by his side each time he observed Annie's encased form, making his silent promises to face her again some day. Hange seemed to understand in ways that nobody else could. He could at least do this much for her.

"Come on, shitty glasses," muttered the captain. "You're going to need help if you're going to get clean."

* * *

She wasn't quite expecting Levi to actually _bathe_ her. Hange sat in the tub with her knees drawn up and her good arm covering her breasts as the captain diligently scrubbed her hair with some herbal shampoo that reminded her of a spring meadow.

"Is this your shampoo?" she inquired, if only to break the silence.

"Yes."

His fingers kneaded her scalp thoroughly and her eyes drooped with pleasure at the massage.

"Damn, how do you manage to get so much shit in your hair, four-eyes?"

Hange smiled, secretly glad her hair was such a mess. She hadn't been pampered like this in...well, never. "I don't hold back, my dear. You know that. The last thing I care about is how much 'shit' I get in my hair. Especially today." She sighed and frowned, her mood dropping once more at the mention of the tragic results of their latest expedition. "So many," she whispered.

Levi paused in scrubbing her hair and he turned her head to make her meet his gaze. "You're alive, Hange. Moblit is too, and I'm still here. I'm going to tell you what Erwin once told me: mourn them, but don't carry the dead with you."

She stared into those eyes, piercing her like needles. He was so serious...so determined. It was as though he was trying to will her to understand the importance of that phrase. Hange found herself smiling softly at him, warmed by his apparent concern. "Would it bother you if I'd gotten killed today, Levi?"

He broke her gaze and looked away. "Duck your head under the water so I can rinse this shit out."

She chuckled in spite of the pain in her heart, and she obeyed him. Leaving her injured arm resting on the side of the tub, she scooted down and abandoned modesty so that she could get the suds rinsed out of her hair. To his credit, Levi kept his eyes averted from her nudity as he reached down and scrubbed her hair under the water. She came back up with a gasp and she folded her legs again.

"Wait, what are you doing now?" she demanded when Levi squirted something from a different bottle into his hand and started working it through her hair.

"It's called 'conditioner', you freak," he explained. "Doesn't surprise me to hear you've never used it before. No wonder your hair is so dull."

"My hair isn't dull," she protested. Her complaint turned into a sigh of bliss as those strong, lean fingers again massaged all over her scalp. She let her head fall back and she hummed, enjoying every minute of it. "You're great with your hands, tiny captain."

Levi's fingers went still, and Hange opened her eyes to look up at his face, hovering over hers. "What? It was a compliment."

Was he...blushing?

Levi resumed working the conditioner through her hair, his expression falling back into a bored, indifferent mask. "Keep calling me 'tiny' and I'll drown you like a rat."

Hange smirked, widening her eyes at him. "It's a term of endearment, like the way you're always calling me 'shitty glasses' and 'four-eyes'."

"You think those are terms of endearment?" he snorted. "You've got some bizarre standards. What if I took you on a date and called you fuck-face? Would you take that as a pickup line?"

"Well, since we'd be on a _date_ , I suppose I would. Coming from you, at least."

A bare hint of a smirk graced his lips. "I don't date, so it's a moot point."

"Never?" pressed Hange. "I know Petra meant a lot to you, but she wouldn't want you to be alone for the rest of your life."

Levi frowned, his mildly relaxed expression dropping like a stone. "I don't want to talk about that, Hange."

She sighed and she straightened her head up, staring into the cloudy bathwater. "I'm sorry, Levi. I shouldn't have mentioned it. Wait...yes I should have. You've got every right to seek companionship, even of the casual variety."

Levi sighed. "Look, I know you mean well, but drop it. I never should have gotten involved with someone I worked with. I don't even think I should get involved with a civilian, for that matter. Erwin has the right idea; we aren't living a lifestyle that allows for marriage and kids and all that shit. Men that can promise to be there to see their kids grow up are the ones that have families, not titan-slaying soldiers that could die on any given mission."

"Wow," mused Hange softly. "That was a really wordy speech from a guy that likes to keep most of his thoughts to himself." She turned a little to look over her harness-striped shoulder at him. "Were you just trying to convince me of that, or yourself?"

Levi stared mutely at her for the count of three heartbeats, and then his lips parted. "Duck your fucking head under again, four-eyes. I'm not one of your damned test subjects."

"Yes sir, Captain Cranky," she muttered.

* * *

He paced in his quarters and he glanced at the clock again. Why was he so antsy? It was just Hange—just crazy, four-eyed shitty glasses. It wasn't even a date. They were just having some drinks.

But her words from earlier kept replaying in his mind. _"Were you just trying to convince me of that, or yourself?"_

Just what in the hell was _that_ supposed to mean? She knew the dangers of getting close to anyone, with a job like theirs. She knew how fleeting happiness could be. Friends, family, romantic interests...it was all just temporary and it could end in a heartbeat, leaving raw, open wounds that seemed to never heal. Levi's most recent wound still pained him consistently. Not a night went by without him thinking of Petra and those last moments he'd held her in his arms. It hadn't been a lover's embrace. She hadn't smiled at him or murmured his name. She was dead...the life crushed ruthlessly from her petite body by a desperate monster.

Even as Levi thought of the sight of those blank, staring autumn eyes, another pair of eyes invaded his thoughts. Wine colored eyes. Not quite red, not quite brown, but something in between. Like Petra, Hange had the most unusual eye color. Unlike Petra, she was neither soft-spoken or feminine. She was loud, she was unkempt, and she was far, far too intense with her emotions. He knew for a fact that she never bathed more than every other day and he doubted it was to conserve water. He'd seen her wearing the same uniform twice in a row on numerous occasions—he could tell because the stains were in the exact place as the day before. There was no excuse for that. Hange had plenty of uniforms by now. Maybe she simply didn't bother washing them often enough to have fresh sets available at all times. That wouldn't surprise him. The woman's obsession with her research left little time for anything save coffee and booze between meals—when she could remember to eat at all.

Thinking of that made him recall the time she'd nearly passed out from hunger, just a couple of weeks ago. The idiot went all day without a single bite to eat and she seemed to have the stupid notion that coffee alone would sustain her grungy ass. He caught her just as she started to fall and he got her out of the heat and onto a bench. Upon realizing hunger was the culprit, Levi ordered her not to move and he went into the kitchen to snatch up a roll and an apple. He'd practically stuffed them into her stupid mouth.

He'd been so _angry_ with her. Only now did he stop to consider why that was. What did he care if four-eyes starved herself? What did he care if she got her fool head bitten off by one of her pet titans because she got too close to them? What difference did it make if the crazy bitch got an infection because she didn't cleanse her injuries properly?

_"Would it bother you if I'd gotten killed today, Levi?"_

He frowned at the clock. "Tch. Only because we'd be short the only person that knows jack-shit about the titans," he reasoned aloud.

His statement lacked conviction though. He heard it in his own voice. Yes, it would have bothered him if Hange Zoë had fallen with the rest of her squad. It would have bothered him more than he could comfortably admit. Like it or not, she had become...important to him. Personally important. That creeped him out a little.

His door banged open and the captain gave a start. He looked with slightly wide eyes to find Hange hanging in, one hand on the frame of the door and the other—the one in the sling—clutching a bottle of liquor.

"Are you ready, Levi? Let's drink!"

He sighed and shrugged, gesturing for her to come in. "Not too much," he warned as she entered and closed the door behind her. "We don't need to get shit-faced. We've got patrol to do tomorrow—or at least _I_ do. You're off the hook until your arm recovers."

She shrugged and she helped herself to a seat on his bed. He suppressed a grimace of annoyance, reminding himself that the bed really was the only place in his quarters to sit down. He couldn't expect her to stand the whole time, after all. Hange began to struggle with the bottle, trying to open it one-handed with it clutched between her thighs.

"Here, idiot. I'll do that."

Levi sat down beside her and he reached for the liquor, but he hesitated due to its location. Hange watched him expectantly.

"Glasses," he muttered.

"Yes?" She blinked at him.

"Not you...I mean we need glasses to drink from."

"Oh." Hange looked down at the bottle between her thighs. "I thought we could just pass it back and forth and drink from the bottle. I couldn't carry it _and_ glasses with one arm in a sling, after all."

Levi frowned at her. "Don't you know me at all, four-eyes? I don't share drinking containers with anyone."

"Such a germaphobe," sighed Hange. "All right then, shorty; do you have any glasses laying around?"

"I have teacups." Levi got up and he went to the cupboard against the wall to fetch a couple of them.

"Of course you do."

He looked over his shoulder at the smirking scientist. "Don't give me any lip. I don't have to be doing this with you right now, Hange."

"Point taken," she assured, and she made as if to button her lips with a grin.

"Tch." Levi fetched a pair of teacups from the cupboard and he walked back over to the bed. Setting the cups on the nightstand he began to reach for the liquor again. Once more, he hesitated.

"What's the matter?" pressed Hange. "It won't bite you."

Levi couldn't say what the matter was, even to himself. For some reason, he was having trouble with the thought of accidentally brushing his hand against one of Hange's thighs. It was ridiculous. She was just a woman like any other—well, _not_ like any other, but still a woman. It wasn't as though he'd get burned if his hand happened to touch her there.

At once, he realized he could smell the lingering scent of the shampoo and conditioner he'd used on her hair and his thoughts went to bathing her. She'd covered up all of her womanly parts except for when she had to duck under the water and he'd avoided looking at such moments, but it was the most he'd ever seen of her before. Her body wasn't hideous or misshapen. She wasn't riddled with disfiguring scars, though she'd earned a few of them like any other soldier. Her skin was smooth...soft. Pity it was usually so grungy.

"Levi, why are you looking at me like that?" Hange tilted her head and her expression sobered with puzzlement.

He was staring. He was _fucking staring_ at her. He'd been visually memorizing the faint laugh lines around her mouth, the little scar over her brow, the way her lips quirked and the shape of her nose. She had a unique nose, he realized. Not pert or cute by conventional standards, but it wasn't an ugly hook or beak nose, either. It was attractive in its own way. Levi blinked, wondering what in the hell had come over him. "Just hand me the bottle," he heard himself mutter.

Hange's brows went up. "Okay. You're acting strange this evening. Are you feeling all right?"

"Fine," he answered, taking the bottle from her hand. He unscrewed the lid and he poured the drinks, sniffing curiously at the potent smelling liquid. "What is this, anyhow?"

"It's cognac," explained Hange, "so don't chug it unless you want to puke it right back up. You've got to sip it."

"So it's one of those fancy kind of alcohols," he reasoned.

She smiled. "Mm-hmm. This is a special occasion, so I brought a special drink to share with my tiny, angry captain."

"I'm not angry." He handed her cup to her and he set the bottle down by its lid.

"Maybe not now, but you do have a rotten temper."

"Tch, you're one to talk," he countered. He clinked his cup against hers. "How many men have you held up by the neck and throttled just this week alone, four-eyes? It has to be a half dozen."

"They provoked me," she excused. She sipped her drink and she made a brief face at the burn as she swallowed it. "One of them called me a crazy bitch. What was I supposed to do, just let it slide?"

"I call you a crazy bitch all the time," Levi pointed out. "You've never hoisted me up by the throat."

She snorted with laughter, pausing in the act of taking another sip. "Should I start? Are you feeling neglected my dear?"

"Don't be stupid," he huffed. He took a swallow of his drink and he coughed, eyes watering. "Shit, this stuff's strong."

"I _told_ you," Hange chastised. "Sip it, Levi."

"I think...we need something to chase it with." he grimaced at the cup in his hand accusingly. "You could use this as paint thinner."

"Oh, don't talk like that about such a high-dollar drink. I had to save for weeks to afford a bottle of this!"

"Well you got a raw deal." Levi smirked at her and he dared to take another drink—a smaller one, this time.

"I would have thought a man who likes to wear a fancy cravat all of the time would have a little more class," she teased after having another sip.

"If 'having class' means drinking paint thinner, I'd rather go without."

Nonetheless, Levi kept sipping it. After a while the taste didn't seem so bad and before he knew it, he was pouring them both another serving.

* * *

"Fucking Hange," groaned Levi the next day as he rolled out of bed.

His head was pounding severely in the aftermath of drinking a little too much. He hadn't meant to have more than two glasses, but somehow four-eyes got him chatting and he lost track of things. They'd gone through the whole bottle together. He had a vague recollection of having to throw her over his shoulder by the end of the night and carry her to her own sleeping quarters. Now he was stuck going on patrol with one of the worst hangovers he'd ever had in his life.

When was he ever going to learn to just say no when she asked him to drink with her? This was the third time he'd woken up feeling like shit because Hange insisted on partying. Levi went straight to the privy, feeling his gorge rise as the pounding in his head persisted. He got sick and he felt a little better afterwards. After taking care of his morning business and brushing his teeth, he had a cool shower. Standing under the cool water and letting it spray down on his aching head helped a bit. He stopped by Hange's quarters after getting dressed and he banged on her door. It took a few minutes for her to open it, but as soon as she did, he noticed a couple of pills in her hand with the sling.

"I thought you might come asking for these," said Hange with a sheepish grin at him. She plucked the pills from her palm with her other hand and she offered them to the captain. "They'll make you feel better in no time, Levi. Why, I feel just fine, myself! I took two of them along with my special tonic as soon as I woke up, and if I weren't in this sling I'd be ready for action! Would you like to chase them down with some of my tonic? It helps!"

"Please just stop talking," he muttered, taking the pills. He tossed them into his mouth and he swallowed them with the canteen he kept on his belt. "I don't want any of your shitty mystery tonic. It'll probably just make me puke again."

"You threw up?" Hange looked genuinely dismayed. "You poor thing. Why don't you come in and I can give you something for nausea?"

"Thanks, but no thanks." Levi capped his canteen and replaced it. "I'll stick with what I know works."

"Are you afraid?" teased Hange with a wink.

"Anyone in their right mind would be afraid to take one of your concoctions," Levi shot back. "Now excuse me, unlike _you_ , I've got work to do."

"Try not to bite anyone's head off," she called after him as he turned and walked down the hallway.

* * *

A couple of weeks passed by and Hange's arm was out of the sling again. Erwin summoned Levi to his office to go over the plans for a new mission. This one involved infiltrating the inner merchant circle to find out who amongst them were actively working against the Survey Corps.

"We've got another one already?" Levi relaxed against the sofa and crossed his legs. "How many of those shit-faces are we going to have to flush out? It's like a hydra; cut one head off and two more grow back to take its place."

"Agreed, and it _is_ frustrating," said the commander. He penned something down before adjusting his jacket over the stump where his other arm used to be. "My sources have led me to the most likely culprit. His name is Adam French, and he runs the largest manufacturer of fine wines in Stohess. He's made no secret of his contempt for our regiment and I believe he's been pushing to have us disbanded. If we can gather some kind of proof that he is deliberately working to sabotage us, we may be able to put an end to it."

"So then how do you plan to get this proof?" Levi sipped his tea and he watched him curiously. "Do you have some kind of reliable spy you can send in to get it?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Erwin nodded. "Squad commander Hange will attend the ball that French is throwing tonight. I've managed to procure tickets to it. French has an appetite for women, so—"

Levi snorted.

Erwin paused and regarded him coolly. "Is there something amusing, Levi?"

"Yeah. You said he's got an appetite for women, but you're sending _Hange_ in. She's about as unwomanly as you can get. If you want my advice, you'd be better off sending Mikasa, Sasha, Hitch or any one of the other women in our ranks. Plenty of them are pretty enough to get the job done."

"But none of them are experienced with political matters," Erwin pointed out, "and consider the outcome of sending any of those girls, Levi. Mikasa would kill him the moment he laid a finger on her. Sasha would be too distracted by the buffet to keep her mind on her mission. Hitch _might_ be reliable, but I haven't seen her express much ambition. The others, as I've said, aren't familiar with politics. Hange is. She understands how to speak the merchants' language and believe it or not, I've seen her hold civilized conversations before. She's capable of boxing up her personality and playing the role for one night. Besides, the others are too recognizable as members of our squad."

"And Hange's not?" Levi scoffed. "They'll know who she is the minute she shows up! Those shitty, clunky glasses of hers are a dead giveaway. Does she even own a dress?"

"I've provided one," answered the commander, "and she won't be wearing her glasses for this mission—which will provide some measure of disguise. She really looks quite different without them, as I'm sure you've noticed before."

"Maybe a _little_ ," conceded Levi reluctantly, "but still—"

" _Oooww!_ "

The bang against the door and the yell of pain from the other side gave both men a start. The door opened to admit a tall woman with silken brown hair piled up in an intricate twist on her head. Ringlets hung down in the back, and a couple of them framed her oval face. She wore a long, peach colored evening gown with a slit up one side and a delicate gold chain belt around the waist. Satin gloves of a matching color to the dress covered her hands and forearms, and an oval fashion ring with a black stone adorned the ring finger of her right hand. A necklace of teardrop stones of the same color black encircled the slender column of her throat. Her lids were delicately shadowed with becoming earth tones that complimented her long-lashed eyes, and her lips were colored a delicate peach to match her dress.

Levi stared up at her. His first thought was that she was very pretty. His second thought was that she was oddly familiar. He sipped his tea as he tried to work it out, and when her eyes met his, his third thought was: _~Oh, shit. It can't be.~_

But he'd never met anyone with eyes that peculiar russet color before. Erwin confirmed it for him.

"Hange cleans up nicely, wouldn't you say?"

Levi choked on his tea, and after coughing and catching his breath, he spoke to the woman. "Shitty-glasses?"

"Tsk-tsk. Even when I'm _not_ wearing them, you just can't resist calling me that." She squinted at him. "That _is_ you, isn't it Levi? Nobody else calls me that so I assume it must be."

"Yes, it's me," he rasped.

Hange walked closer, a little wobbly on her feet. "Erwin, there's a problem with these shoes. I'm not used to wearing high heels and these suckers have to be at least four inches! How am I supposed to dance in these...let alone take one step into the ballroom without falling on my ass?"

"We can have a pair with a smaller heel brought to you," Erwin assured her. "I still need to arrange for an escort for you. I was thinking perhaps Moblit, since you work so closely together already. Speaking of dancing, how good are you at it?"

"Well, I can shake my ass until the sun comes down, but the truth is I don't know squat about ballroom dancing. I don't think Moblit does, either. You might have to give us a crash course, sir."

"I can dance," Levi blurted before he even realized it. His eyes widened a bit with faint horror as they both looked at him.

"You can?" Hange seemed quite surprised.

"Yes, he can," confirmed Erwin. "He's quite good at it, as I recall. I witnessed him on the floor of the last officer's ball we had, before the first titan attack. I believe you were away on another assignment at the time, Hange."

"Damn, I missed it." She snapped her fingers. Taking a seat beside Levi, she crossed her legs and she smiled at him. "So _you_ know ballroom dancing, captain? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I..." Levi tried not to stare at the thigh that was partly exposed as the side-slit of her dress parted. "It's not important enough to talk about."

He looked at Erwin, still reeling at the transformation of the scientist. She was squeaky clean, her hair was soft and shiny and she smelled nice. "So Hange's job is to get this guy alone and try to get some information out of him, is that it?"

Erwin nodded. "That is correct, and now that you've mentioned your dancing skills, I think you would make the perfect escort for her. The one problem is that your face is rather well-known. We may have to disguise you."

Levi frowned. "How? I'm not going to wear some fake mustache or a wig, if that's what you're thinking."

"He could wear a pair of glasses," suggested Hange. "We can get him a non-prescription pair!"

Levi shot her an exasperated look. "A pair of glasses isn't going to fool anyone, idiot. People aren't that gullible."

"Are you sure?" She smiled at him. "You didn't recognize me without mine when I first walked in."

"That's...that's because you're clean for a change, and you're wearing makeup and a dress. I'd have figured it out."

"It seems to me that you needed my help with that," observed Erwin with a smirk of amusement. "Levi, you don't need to change your entire persona to attend this gathering. A pair of glasses as Hange suggests may be all that's required. Should anyone remark on your similarity to Captain Levi, the excuse could be used that you are a relative. A cousin, perhaps."

"This is the stupidest plan I've ever heard," grumbled Levi. "It'll never fly."

"Well, we won't know until we try, will we?" Hange said cheerfully. "Who's going to expect Levi Ackerman to show up at a merchant ball anyway? They've all heard you call them swine. They know you have nothing but contempt for them and they'd never believe you'd actually go expecting to get any of them to talk to you about the rumors concerning the Scout Legion. I think it's a perfect plan!"

"Perfectly stupid," he muttered.

"Enough." Erwin threaded his fingers together over his desk. "Levi, we're going to go with Hange's idea and procure a pair of glasses for you. I will also arrange for a suit to be tailored, if you haven't got one appropriate for the occasion."

"White," said Hange, her russet gaze looking the captain up and down thoughtfully. "White would look good on him, with gold trimming."

"Now just wait a minute—"

"Yes, I agree," said Erwin, interrupting Levi's protest. "Gold on white are good colors. I'll contact my tailor and give him the captain's measurements immediately. He should be able to finish the suit by tonight if I tell him to rush it. He's very good."

"How the hell do you know my measurements?" sputtered Levi. He was getting flustered and that annoyed him. He shouldn't have opened his mouth and said anything. He blamed it all on Hange for looking so...different. She'd thrown him off.

Erwin looked at him as if the answer was obvious. "I know all of my soldier's measurements, Levi. You should know that. How else am I to order uniforms for them?"

At once, Levi felt stupid. "Fine, but if this ball is tonight, what makes you think your guy can come up with a suit that fits me in such a short time? You say he's good, but—"

"He's _damned_ good," interrupted Erwin. "I have faith in him. All you need to worry about is escorting Hange, leading her through a couple of dances and watching her back if things begin to go sour. Is that clear?"

Levi sighed. "Yes sir. I suppose we should start drawing up our plans."

* * *

Hange couldn't resist a smile when she met back up with Levi just outside headquarters that evening. Petra would have loved to see him in such finery, she was sure. He looked very handsome in his white military dress uniform, with golden epaulettes and buttons. She hadn't been expecting it to be a military style and she inwardly wondered if that might raise more suspicions, but there was no denying that Levi wore the outfit well. The gold wire framed oval glasses suited him well, too.

"Well, well! Don't we look handsome tonight."

Levi's gaze slid over her before he faced forward. "We look ridiculous together, you know."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

Levi sighed and looked up at her. "You're a head taller than I am. At least they got you shorter heels. As if you _needed_ to be any taller."

Hange lifted one foot and looked down at said heels. They were definitely a more sensible size, but she was still a little uncertain on her feet in them. Accustomed to going flat-footed, she could easily picture herself stumbling and accidentally stepping on Levi's foot when they were on the dance floor.

"I don't think anyone is going to pay much attention to the height difference," she surmised, looking him up and down again. "We make an attractive couple, if I do say so myself."

"Pfft, whatever." He avoided looking at her.

_~Hmm. He's been acting strange since he saw me like this. Am I really so different? He keeps looking at me so strangely..~_

"Levi, do you think I'm pretty?"

He glanced at her and she could sense his discomfort. "You're all right."

Hange smirked. "Well I have to say, you look really cute in glasses."

"Don't be ridiculous," he muttered. Their carriage began to approach and Levi brushed imaginary dust off of his suit.

"You do! They make you look more refined. Oh, guess what? Tonight _you're_ 'shitty glasses'!" Hange chuckled with delight. "Isn't that ironic, Captain?"

"I fail to see the humor. Just keep quiet and let's get this night over with, shall we?"

"Shitty glasses," taunted Hange lightly. "My tiny four-eyed captain!"

He swatted at her as she walked her gloved fingers up his arm. "Quit that."

The carriage stopped before them and the footman got down to open the door. Levi dutifully took Hange's hand to help her up as any gentleman would, and she found herself smiling. The small act of chivalry made her feel good. For the first time in her eccentric life, Hange was going to be on the arm of a handsome gentleman and even though it was all an act, it made up for all those times in her youth she'd been ignored by boys she liked. Oh, she'd had her trysts as an adult, but never with a gentleman—and she knew that Levi was a gentleman despite his potty mouth and sardonic approach to life. Watching him with Petra had proven that to her.

Levi climbed in with her once Hange was seated and he sat down across from her, relaxing against the seat with his arms resting over the back of it and his legs crossed. The footman closed the door and called out to the driver, and Levi glanced out the window with bored disinterest.

"You know this 'disguise' of mine is bullshit," he remarked as the carriage began to move. "I can't say I'm with the Military Police if anyone asks. There will be some of them stationed as guards at the ball and all anyone has to do is ask them. You might pull off going unrecognized but if anyone realizes who I am, they might put two and two together and your cover will be blown."

"Then don't say you're with the Military Police," suggested Hange. "Say you're with the Garrison Brigade. Pixis is allegedly going to be there and Erwin's already spoken with him about our situation. He'll vouch for you if anyone asks, even though he wants to stay out of the situation as much as possible. I really think it could work, Levi. All that people really know about you is that you're humanity's strongest soldier. They know nothing of your family, and I doubt anyone would be surprised to learn you have an estranged cousin somewhere."

Levi shrugged. "Just don't forget to use our fake names. Remember, I'm Falke and you're Nadina." He grimaced a little. "I don't feel like a Falke."

"Of course not, silly. That's because you're a Levi." Hange winked at him. "Does it matter? It's only for one night and as long as we don't lapse and call each other by our true names, everything will be fine."

"We can hope." Levi looked out the window to check their progress through the district. "Looks like it could take a half hour to get there. The streets are busy tonight."

"Well, it's a weekend," excused Hange. She switched seats so that she was next to him, and he tensed as she leaned back against his arm.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" she smiled. "I'm sitting next to my 'date'. Isn't that what a lady's supposed to do when she's out with a suitor? People might think it's strange if we're sitting opposite each other, after all."

"Or they won't think anything at all, seeing as nobody's in this carriage beside you or I to see where we're sitting."

"Ah, but that door will open eventually when we arrive at the ball," reasoned Hange. She reached up and back to grab Levi's hand and she draped his arm over her shoulder. "We should keep up a good appearance, don't you think?"

He stared at her so intently that she wondered if she'd gone too far. His face was close, and his expression was unreadable. "Levi?"

He was giving her that _look_ again, and Hange's cheeks started to warm up. It was so difficult to tell with this man at times, but if he were someone else, she might have thought he was considering kissing her. His hand lifted from her shoulder and his fingers curled into her fancifully coiled hair, tugging it lightly.

"Just do your part and don't screw it up, four-eyes. We'll stage a lover's spat to give you the chance to break away from me and go for your target. I'll be keeping an eye on you and if I need to, I'll leave to change into my gear in the carriage. Don't let yourself get in over your head, understand? The minute you sense anything off, you find an excuse to get away from him or signal me. Don't forget Plan B."

"Right...Plan B." Hange was feeling rather distracted by his nearness and his intensity. "What was Plan B again?"

He sighed and released her hair, dropping his hand over her shoulder again. "Plan B is where we wait for the opportunity to nab him if all else fails, and we get the information out of him through less pleasant means. That's when we come back to the carriage and we both change and put our masks on so that he won't recognize us."

"Oh, of course." Plan B was the last ditch effort to get their answers. Erwin wanted this operation to go as smoothly and amicably as possible, but if push came to shove, they had permission to use force.

"You know for a genius, you can be kind of stupid," muttered Levi. "We just went over all this two hours ago."

Hange felt a twinge of annoyance in her breast. It was his fault she was so distracted, after all. "Well excuse me for concentrating on Plan A first, grump. That's what Erwin wants us to do anyway."

"But you need to be ready for Plan B if we screw up Plan A," he insisted. "Don't be too surprised if we don't even make it through the door without someone recognizing us, too. These merchant swine aren't all idiots, much as I like to think of them that way."

"Stop worrying," she demanded. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

I'm not 'worrying'," countered Levi. "I'm planning ahead—something we _both_ need to be doing. You realize this could lead to charges of treason if we get caught in the act, right?"

"I know that. I'm not as stupid as you think, Levi."

He sighed and he met her eyes. "I never said you were stupid."

"Hah! You just said it a minute ago!"

"I was fucking with you," he excused. "You can be flaky, but you aren't really stupid. Just remember not to be...you. Think you can handle that?"

"As long as you can handle not being you." She shrugged. "Of course."

The rest of the ride went on in relative silence, until a thought occurred to Hange. "Say Levi, where did you learn to dance?"

"From a whore."

Hange blinked at him. She certainly wasn't expecting _that_ answer. "You're shitting me."

He smirked sidelong at her and he shook his head. "No, I'm not. Back in my teen years when I was living in the underground, I had to stay at a brothel for a while. I did housekeeping to earn my room and board and I did odd jobs on the side for cash. One of the ladies there was a high-priced escort—a favorite of the nobles up above. They would come and pay for her services as an escort at least once a week. She was a real beauty and they loved having her on their arm at their fancy social gatherings. One day she convinced me to let her teach me some dancing lessons in exchange for extra money, so I took her up on it."

Hange tilted her head. "Wait...she _paid_ you to let her teach you dance lessons? That's...unusual."

"Yeah, well...she was pulling in more than anyone else and she was well on her way to saving up for citizenship up above. I think she was trying to do something nice for me before she left. Maybe she felt a little sorry for me, who knows?"

"Or maybe she thought it would be a shame for such a handsome young man not to learn a few social graces, just in case you did make it to the surface one day," reasoned Hange with a smile. "And look at you! Up here on the surface, captain of your own elite squad, on your way to a ball with a gorgeous woman on your arm!"

"Don't push it, four-eyes," he muttered.

Hange laughed. "Come on, admit it. You think I look pretty."

His gaze met hers again levelly. He was silent for a moment before he parted his lips and answered her. "You do clean up nicely. I can admit that."

She smiled with pleasure, knowing that was going to be the best she would get out of him. "Thank you, Levi."

He looked away again. "Just don't screw up tonight. We could be in deep shit if that happens."

She sighed. "You're so pessimistic."

* * *

-To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Hange was evidently a bit awed by her surroundings when they arrived at the sprawling estate and stepped into the ballroom. Levi kept his arm locked with hers, assisting her uncertain steps so that she wouldn't fall on her face. He grimaced when she accidentally trod on his foot and he leaned closer to her to mutter a warning in her ear.

"Watch where you put those big feet, shitty-glasses. I'm not wearing reinforced boots and I'll be useless on the dance floor if you crush my toes."

"Sorry," she whispered. "Even these smaller heels are hard to walk in! Whoever designs women's dress shoes must hate feet. And by the way; _you're_ 'shitty-glasses' tonight, remember?"

She grinned and she nudged his costume glasses further up on his nose.

_~A very cute shitty-glasses. Better not add that, though. I can tell he's stretched thin.~_

"There he is," Levi murmured, nodding across the expansive room to the right.

Hange squinted, trying to make out faces. She couldn't see details more than three feet in front of her and she was going to have a tough time picking out her quarry in the crowd without her glasses. "Where?"

"Two o'clock," answered her companion, "near the buffet talking to a couple of other pigs. He's the only redhead there."

She followed his gaze and she identified the blurred form of her target well enough. The man was wearing a fancy blue suit, but she couldn't make out more details than that. She started to go in that direction, and Levi tightened his hold on her.

"Not yet. We've got to get through at least two dances and I'd rather not get too close to the bastard and risk him recognizing my face."

"But I'm hungry," complained the scientist. "Look at all that food! I can't see what all they have from here, but it appears to be quite a spread!"

"And Erwin was worried about Sasha stuffing her face if he sent her," muttered the captain dryly. "Come on, four-eyes. Let's get through at least once dance before you raid the buffet. People might wonder what we're doing a ball if we aren't going to dance, otherwise."

She sighed and she allowed him to guide her onto the floor as the next song began. "I have no idea what I'm doing," she whispered into his ear as Levi put one arm around her waist and took her other hand in his.

"Just follow my lead. It's a simple waltz, so you should manage well enough. Try not to run into anyone and keep your eyes on me. Don't get distracted."

"Shit," Hange grumbled. She could just imagine herself stepping on Levi's toes again or tripping and falling on her ass. As nimble as she was with ODM gear, this was entirely new territory for her. Levi began to move and she did her best to follow his steps. He was counting the steps out softly to her, guiding her through it as they danced amongst the other guests.

"Hey, I'm doing it!" She smiled with amazement as she started to get the hang of the steps, and she met Levi's eyes with a soft laugh of delight. "I'm actually _waltzing_!"

"Proof that miracles can and do happen," he answered between counts. His eyes remained on hers—hooded gray pools full of mysteries that she wondered if she would ever unlock. "Just keep it up, Hange."

Levi was almost being nice to her. He tightened his hold on her waist when she faltered a bit and he steadied her with ease. "It's all right," he assured her when she stammered an apology. "You caught yourself. You aren't doing half-bad."

"You think so?" She almost felt shy. "Tell me something, Levi...is there anything you're bad at?"

"Romance," he answered readily, "and I've got no artistic talent whatsoever. Don't ever ask me to do anything involving engineering, while we're on the subject. I'd just break it."

Hange chuckled. She hadn't expected him to answer her question. She'd expected him to deny having any flaws whatsoever. "Is there anything else?"

"I'm not much of an outdoorsman." He steered them closer to the buffet table as the song neared its end. "I can build a basic fire and gather a little for survival, but I don't fish and I don't hunt if I can avoid it."

"But you could if you had to," reasoned Hange. "I've seen you take down a deer before while we were out on an expedition."

Levi nodded. "But I didn't clean it. I left that disgusting job up to others."

"Ah, I see." Hange smirked down at him, picturing the way he obsessively wiped off his titan blades each time he made a kill. "But you would do it if you really had to, wouldn't you?"

"With great protest and possibly some gagging," he confirmed with a nod. "Fish are even worse. That smell...ugh."

"But you like eating fish." Hange smiled. "You loved that bouillabaisse I made for dinner last week."

"I did, but I didn't clean the fish. I dare say people wouldn't be impressed with me if they ever saw my reactions to doing such a thing."

Hange found that funny and she laughed. "Humanity's greatest is scared of a little fish guts. Who could have guessed?"

"Keep it to yourself," he warned. The music stopped and Levi's expression hardened. "Who else have you been with, Nadina?"

She blinked at him in confusion. "W-what?"

Levi pressed his boot down lightly on the top of one of her shoes to remind her of their roles here. "I know there have been others. Don't fuck with me."

She was so off-balance by the abrupt change of conversation and the cold look in his eyes that she didn't immediately respond.

"Your silence seals your guilt," Levi went on harshly. He released her from his arms and he all but pushed her towards the buffet table, where Adam French and his companions were still standing around discussing whatever politics were on their mind. "The stage is yours now, four-eyes," whispered the captain, and then he turned on his heel and strode away with convincing, angry strides.

Hange then realized what had happened when she heard two of the men behind her murmur about the scene they'd just witnessed. Levi had set up the fake "row" between them in order to give her the excuse to break away from him and do her job. It also provided him the means to avoid close inspection and recognition by their quarry.

She didn't have to feign her blush as she turned toward the buffet table. An act or not, Levi's performance was convincing enough that she actually felt _guilty_ for something she didn't do. She felt an unreasonable surge of resentment toward him and she had to remind herself that he was just playing his part—as she was meant to do. The gentlemen by the buffet nodded respectfully at her as Hange blushingly picked up a plate and quietly began selecting morsels from the array of food available.

"Good evening, Miss," greeted Mr. French, stepping up beside her with obvious intrigue. "I'm afraid I haven't seen you around these parts. I'm Adam French. Welcome to my estate. And you might be...?"

Hange spared him a smile that she hoped was at least somewhat demure. "Nadina. Nadina Brant, sir. I'm from the Trost district, so it's no surprise we haven't met. My...my fiancé procured tickets to this ball for us tonight, but..."

She glanced over at Levi's retreating form and she again didn't have to feign the look of disconcertment on her features. "It seems the night isn't turning out so magical, after all."

"Pity," remarked Adam. "If I were him, I wouldn't leave such a lovely woman's side even for a moment for fear some other man might take an interest in her."

He was appraising Hange the way one might appraise a fine horse. It made her skin crawl, to be honest. She wasn't used to being admired by men very often, and she decided she didn't like the particular way this fellow was eyeing her. "Allow me to keep you company in his stead, my dear. A woman such as you shouldn't go unescorted for long."

Hange nearly rolled her eyes at that. Upper class society treated women very differently from what she was used to. As a soldier, she was equal with the men she worked with. Some might display some chivalry now and then, but none of them infantilized her.

"That would be very kind of you," she said, forcing her tone to reflect gratitude. She smiled at him again. "I've never been to such a place. I was amazed at the size of the interior."

"Yes, it's a grand ballroom, isn't it? I do this every year." He put an arm around her and he began to guide her away. "Let me fetch you a drink and we can speak more privately as you enjoy the food, Miss Brant. I would like to know more about you, if it's permissible."

Hange glanced across the room at Levi, who was absently sipping on a glass of wine and watching her progress with a brooding expression on his face. He really did look angry. "That would be lovely," she said with another smile of fake gratitude at her supposed rescuer. "It seems my fiancé has been listening to rumors he shouldn't believe. I..." She made a show of wiping her eyes. "I'm not that woman anymore. He should know that, by now."

"I...see. Here now, don't cry, my dear. Come and sit with me and tell me all about it."

* * *

So far, so good. Hange was playing the merchant pig like a fiddle, and Levi kept an eye on them as she sat beside the man on the lounge in one of the alcoves. Many couples retreated to such alcoves to rest and relax between dances. A peculiar feeling started to come over the captain as he watched Hange laugh and lightly touch the merchant's arm. French seemed enchanted with her and Levi couldn't really blame him. Hange had picked up her role like a pro and she was like an entirely different woman.

But she wasn't Nadina Brant, former tavern wench and current betrothed to Falke Hulcher. She was Hange Zoë, elite squad commander of the Survey Corps and a veteran. He tried to reconcile those identities and remind himself again that she was putting on an act. When French put an arm around her shoulders and whispered into her ear, however, Levi found himself tensing.

He didn't _like_ the man touching her so familiarly, and he liked even less the thought of what he must have said. Hange looked properly coy, and Levi wished he could hear exactly what they were talking about. Their cover story was that he met her in a tavern and became interested in her, courted her for months and finally requested her hand in marriage. Rumors started flying that "Nadina" was flirting with other men...perhaps even dallying with them while "Falke" was away on business. It seemed the perfect excuse for the two of them to separate and for Hange to move in on the merchant and try to get information from him, but now Levi was regretting it. He'd have rather just nabbed the bastard and forced him to talk.

* * *

"So you weren't in a house of ill repute," reasoned Adam between sips of wine. "Why does your man treat you as though you were?"

Hange sighed. "Falke isn't really to blame, sir. The truth is, barmaids do sometimes entertain guests in that way for additional money. I never did, but my betrothed is a jealous man, and he's insecure. Some of the staff in his house dislike me, so they've found the perfect opportunity to try and sabotage our relationship." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think one of the maids is infatuated with him, to be honest. The poor thing is this homely creature with thick glasses, no figure to speak of and mannish ways. I could tell the little fool she has no hope of catching my handsome love's eye, but she still clings to her fantasies."

Hange frowned a bit, realizing she'd just basically described herself. How pathetic. She didn't even know quite where that came from, except she was now improvising, trying to gain sympathy from this man while increasing his interest in her at the same time.

"Perhaps the two of you aren't meant to be," suggested French. "It's his loss, but it could be my gain."

"What do you mean, sir?" Hange noticed Levi making his way over subtly through the crowd, and she frowned a little. What was he up to? He was getting close to ear-shot, but he kept his distance and he didn't interfere.

The merchant took her hand and she was thankful that she was wearing gloves. Hitch and some of the other girls had given her a full manicure, smoothing away the jagged edges of ill cared for nails, buffing and polishing them. Still, she knew her hands were calloused and rough in a way that highborn women's generally were not.

"I know that we've only just met, Nadina, but I find you fascinating," he went on. "You're very...statuesque."

"You mean tall," she guessed with a slight smirk. Yes, that was one of Levi's greatest complaints about how she was put together.

"I prefer my term for it," Adam went on. "There is nothing wrong with a tall woman. Long legs are quite attractive, to me. I hope I'm not being too forward."

Hange flushed, knowing that Levi was now able to hear every word this man was saying to her. She half expected to hear him scoff in the background.

"And your eyes," French went on, staring openly into them. "I've never seen such an exquisitely unique shade of eyes on a woman, before. They're like warm mahogany, or spiced wine. So expressive and intense! You have singularly unique features, my dear, and you wear that gown _very_ well."

Hange tensed inwardly as the man slid his hand up her knee and squeezed her thigh. She'd tactfully worn a garter on both thighs to cover the marks of her ODM gear, just in case the split in her gown revealed her leg that far. "Um, just a moment," she begged, trying her damndest to keep her voice soft and feminine. She put one hand over the one creeping up her thigh and into the slit. "Sir, this isn't the appropriate setting."

"Of course," he agreed, backing off. "Shall we move this to a more private location, then? There is a wonderful view of the city from the balconies and I have exclusive access to them. Nobody will bother us."

Hange felt herself breaking into a sweat. This guy intended to try and get up her dress, she was sure of it. "I don't think my fiancé would approve," she said. "He has connections to the Scout Legion and it wouldn't be very wise to—"

"The Scouting Legion?" Adam scoffed. "Ah, you needn't worry about them. I have it on good authority that they'll soon be disbanded."

Hange's eyes flashed. "Really? Why is that? Falke is cousin to Captain Levi, and he's heard no such thing."

"They've wasted too much of the taxpayer's money," answered French readily, cheeks ruddy with wine consumption. "Let's just say the merchants have had enough of their squandering resources. They've caused more damage than the titans themselves, in fact. A hearing is underway and the motion to disband those thugs will be put on the plate, so you see, my dear, there is no reason to fear coming to harm by the likes of them. They'll soon be powerless."

_~Wow. This was easier than I thought. It's still not "proof", though. We're going to need something more to go on than his word alone.~_

"How can I be sure you aren't simply telling me this to ease my concerns, sir? The scouts are dangerous individuals, I'm sure you know."

"Without their budget and the sanction of the government, they'll be nothing but common thugs. Here, come with me and I can show you the proof that this decree has been drawn up, Miss Brant. Once you see it, you can free yourself from your obligation to your unappreciative betrothed and stop worrying about his cousin or the other rabble coming after you."

* * *

Levi stood behind a pillar and he listened to it all.

_~Hmph. Erwin was spot-on. An erect prick and a few drinks is all it takes for some guys..~_

Now he just had to be patient and trust in Hange to get the proof without getting herself into real trouble. Of course, Levi was certain that nothing would happen she didn't want to happen. She'd kill the man with her bare hands if he tried to force himself on her, but then she could wind up in prison. Knowing her temper as he did, he thought it best that he at least change into his gear and black garments. Provided four-eyes didn't forget this part of the contingency, she ought to signal him from the window of whichever room French took her to. Levi guessed it would be his private chambers and they were likely to be under guard. Merchants had enemies after all.

Making a show of leaving the ball, Levi sent for his carriage and he had the driver take him out the gates and onto the road. He changed his clothing and put on his gear as they drove a far enough distance away not to be seen by any of the manor's staff or guards, and he instructed the driver to wait under the trees for him as he took off back toward the estate.

"Come on, shitty glasses," he muttered as he sprinted back toward the estate, "don't forget the signal and don't kill the lecherous bastard."

* * *

She was in a pickle. They'd planned for this situation, though. After all, it hadn't been likely that French would spill everything to her right out in the open. Hange was honestly surprised that he'd taken the bate. Highborn men usually never looked twice at her and it was a struggle for her to stay in character and remember that she was supposed to be a gentlewoman of sorts. As she entered Adam French's private chambers, her adrenaline spiked and she started to feel trapped. This was not okay with her. She'd never felt so uneasy in the presence of a man before, but then, she'd never been in this kind of position before either.

"What a beautiful room," she said conversationally, and it was. There was a large, black stone fireplace against the far wall, an expansive king-sized canopy bed, a small mahogany dining table and expensive wallpapering covering every corner. It was a room fit for a king. Remembering what she was to do in such a situation, she went to the window and she opened it.

"Do you mind?" she asked over her shoulder at her host. "I love the fresh night air."

"By all means," he agreed with a nod.

Hange smiled and she turned back around to make a show of looking up at the stars. She reached into her reticule to procure a small, fragile glass bottle. She squeezed it until it cracked and the liquid inside began to glow as soon as it was exposed to air. She covertly placed it beneath the window ledge, sticking it there with a bit of putty to hold it in place.

She gave a start when Adam came up behind her and put an arm around her waist, and she turned to look at him. He was of a height with her, and she found herself unwittingly picturing Levi's shorter form and comparing his hard, small body to this merchant's average one. French wasn't overweight, but she could tell he never worked out. She probably had more muscle mass than he did.

"It...it really is a beautiful room," she repeated, trying to maintain her cool. Her instinct was to flip him on his back and crack his windpipe with her foot.

"The woman standing in it is more beautiful," murmured Adam.

Hange barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She fluttered her lashes and she laughed softly. "Do you think so?"

_~Try telling that to the pipsqueak sometime.~_

"Absolutely." He closed in for a kiss and Hange almost pulled away and stalled it, but then she saw a dark, cloaked figure down below, swinging its way up on ODM wires. Her vision was too blurry from this range to make out more than that, but there was only one person it could possibly be. Levi was coming, and French was bound to spot him if they stayed by this window. Hange allowed the merchant to kiss her and she tried not to grimace at the slobbery way he did it. She urged him away from the window, still holding the kiss, and a quick look from the corner of her eye confirmed that her partner in this mission had made it outside the window and was peering in.

Hange had to wonder what might be going through Levi's head as she made a show of kissing French deeply. Even though the aftertaste of wine was unpleasant and his lewd way of using his tongue made her want to bite it off, she let it go on for a moment, until she was sure Levi was out of direct sight.

"Just a moment," she pleaded when the merchant tried to lead her over to the bed. "You said you had proof to show me that there's an actual decree drawn up to present to the courts? I would like to see it before we go any further, Mr. French. I have to consider my safety, you know? What could a girl like me possibly do against the scouts if they come after me for betraying my fiancé?"

"Ah, that. Very well, my dear." He reluctantly released her and he went to the writing desk in the far left corner in the room, away from the window. "If it will set your mind at ease, I'll fetch it for you right now."

Hange watched as calmly as possible, waiting as the man opened a drawer and retrieved a scroll tube from it. He carried it over to her and he offered it to her. "See for yourself, Nadina. This document will free you from any hold your betrothed or his associates have on you, once it goes through the courts."

Hange glanced at him before opening the tube and removing the parchment from it. She unrolled it and she narrowed her eyes as she read over it. "This is authentic," she murmured. "It could really go through."

"Indeed it can," agreed French proudly. "I outlined it carefully to include all infractions that have thus far been overlooked by the government, along with a long and detailed list of how the pardoning of these mongrels has cost us so much. I doubt the high council will let them off with a warning, this time. In fact, their leading officers may even face prison sentences...or execution for their crimes, if we're lucky. They've also been harboring a monster beneath the city, endangering all of us. I'm sure you've heard at least some rumors about it."

"Yes, the titan," answered Hange softly. "But what else could they have done with it?"

"Destroyed her, of course! They chose instead to keep her 'under observation'. What a foolish and reckless endeavor!"

Hange glanced up at him. "I heard that they _couldn't_ destroy it, Mr. French."

"Bah, they've been fighting those titans for years. I'm sure they could have found a means to do it if they'd bothered to try. No, they plan to try and _use_ this one, just as they've used that freak Eren Jaeger. Mark my words, they'll turn on us, Miss Brant. Sooner or later, it's inevitable. That is why we must act quickly to disband them. You yourself fear the scouts, and with good reason! I can protect you, though."

Hange bottled up her scorn. Levi was right; these merchants really _were_ swine drunk on their own sense of power. This man in particular seemed especially stupid to her, but she had to be sure. "You have other copies of this, don't you? It would seem like the safest thing to do. What if someone should find this one and take it?"

"And who would do that? I have guards patrolling my estate at all hours. Unfortunately since I've told you this much, I'm afraid you have no choice but to stay here under my care, now. It isn't safe for either of us if I let you go now, my dear."

Hange sighed. She might have known. Of _course_ the man wouldn't share his secrets so readily with someone he'd just met and then just allow them to walk away. He was still an idiot, though. "So you intend to keep me prisoner?" She rolled the scroll back up and she replaced it in its case, but she didn't offer it back to him. "How does that make you any better than the scouts, sir?"

"Consider yourself my guest, under my protection," he answered. "I'll see to it that your betrothed is escorted off my estate and inform him that you were seen leaving with some other man. Don't worry though—as I said; you're under my protection."

He stepped closer to her, his eyes roving over her with lust. "And I can make it a very pleasant stay for you, my exotic beauty. My last mistress left me, you see. You would want for nothing if you would take her place. We've established a rapport, have we not?"

Hange smiled, but it wasn't the sweet kind of smile she'd been faking all night. She started to laugh softly in a sinister way. "Oh, you stupid, stupid man. You have no idea who you're—"

Levi came swinging in through the window at that moment and he charged across the room before Hange could even finish her sentence. Startled at the intrusion by the black-garbed stranger coming in from his window, French drew his pistol and he fired wildly. It missed, and Hange dropped the scroll case with the intention of grabbing the merchant up by the throat and pinning him to the wall. Levi beat her to it, sweeping French's legs out from under him with a kick and following up with another kick to the temple that knocked him out cold.

"Levi, I was going to take care of that!"

The captain pulled his mask off and he glared up at her as he snatched up the scroll case. "He knows your face, idiot. If you'd assaulted him he'd have someone to send the military police after. As it stands, all he has to report is some masked robber ambushing him in his bedroom and taking off with his would-be mistress and his precious decree."

Levi locked the door hastily as the sounds of footsteps approached from the other side. "Come on, four-eyes. We've worn out our welcome here."

Hange sighed, knowing he was right. Had she throttled the bastard like she'd wanted to, there would have been wanted posters of her all over the city. Even dressed as her usual self, someone could possibly recognize her as the mystery woman that assaulted a high roller in the capital.

"All right, fine. Let's go, then." She put her arms around Levi's neck once he had the scroll case tucked securely into his gear pouch, and she hopped into his arms. Levi wasn't quite ready for that and he huffed and staggered, catching her bride style just in time.

"Shit, warn me next time," he complained.

"Surely humanity's strongest solder can carry me with ease," teased Hange, still buzzing with adrenaline. "You might be a shrimp, but you're a strong fellow."

"Pain in my ass," he grunted, shifting her in his arms. He carried her over to the window as the guards began to bang on the merchant's door.

"This would be easier if you were on my back," he suggested, "not very lady-like, but who the hell cares at this point?"

"Hmm, I'll concede to that logic."

Hange hopped down and she circled around behind him. Levi glanced at her over his shoulder, and then he quickly looked away as she hiked her gown up and climbed onto his back. Once she had her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders, she spoke into his ear. "Try not to rip the gown, Levi. It's a loaner."

"I'll keep that in mind," he muttered. He fired his grapplers into the nearest opposite wall, high enough to give them some altitude. "Hang on tight and don't drop your fucking shoes."

* * *

Once they made it away from the estate and back to the carriage, they climbed in and Hange stuck her head out the window and hooted exuberantly as they took off. "Wahoo! That was exhilarating, don't you think, Levi?"

"No, it was nearly a disaster." He grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back into the carriage. "Stop shouting like a maniac. We're about to go through populated areas and anybody seeing you cheering out the window is going to have something to report to French. You know he's going to send out people looking for you...and your 'fiancé', for that matter. He'd have to be a bigger moron than I thought not to suspect 'Falke'. You shouldn't have said that to him before I put him down, four-eyes."

Hange shrugged. "It's a wonder I kept my temper as long as I did."

"Oh yeah?" Levi's glittering eyes met hers. "You seemed to be having fun sucking face with him when I arrived."

Hange nudged him with her foot and she smirked. "Feeling jealous, tiny captain? You're the one that said I should make it convincing."

"You didn't have to tickle his tonsils like that," he grumped.

The wind from the open carriage window stirred Hange's loosening curls, blowing a couple of them across her face. Levi looked away, finding the sight disturbing for reasons that had nothing to do with repulsion.

"What difference does it make to you whether I gave him a big wet one or not, Levi? I had no intention of letting it go farther than that. I would have snapped his neck first."

"And then you'd be a wanted criminal," he reminded her again, "so let's be thankful it didn't come to that."

She studied him thoughtfully, squinting a little to make out his face in the darkened carriage. She started to reach for the reticule she'd had tied to her chain belt, but her eyes widened and she patted her waistline frantically. "Er...Levi?"

He got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What is it?"

"I think we left my reticule behind."

"Tch. You mean _you_ left it behind, idiot. It's not my job to keep up with your accessories. It was just a loaner anyway, right? And it isn't like it can lead them back to you. I've never seen you carry a purse the entire time I've known you."

Hange shook her head. "You don't understand. It had my glasses in it."

Levi's sleepy gaze widened slightly, then narrowed. "Tell me you're shitting me."

She bit her lip. "I'm not. I couldn't see a damned thing without my glasses, so I carried them in that reticule to slip on after the job was finished. Damn it!"

Levi quickly assessed the situation. "Look, even if they find that pouch and your glasses, they aren't going to be able to connect either of them to you. Plenty of women were glasses."

"With securing straps?" pressed Hange, wringing her gloved hands. "Most highborn ladies don't have a need to have that little feature on their glasses, Levi! Only soldiers and workers use straps to keep them on. I was there asking him questions about his case against the scouts. They're going to come investigating us if they find those glasses, I'm sure of it. Besides...they were my favorite pair. Petra hand-made those straps for me..."

Levi stared at her for a moment, and his jaw clenched. "Son of a bitch."

He turned in his seat and he yanked the panel open separating the cab from the driver's seat in the front. "Turn it around," he hollered, "we need to go back. Stick to the back roads and pull up somewhere in the woods to wait for me."

Hange blinked at him. "What are you doing?"

"Getting your shitty glasses back, idiot."

* * *

She could hardly believe he was risking this. Yes, the glasses were important to her and yes, they could lead back to the scouts...but the place had to be swarming with guards by now, seeking out the mysterious assailant that broke into Adam French's bedroom and stole from him. As her companion checked his gear and prepared to put his mask back on, Hange reached for him.

"Levi, you don't have to do this. Let's just cut the loss and hope for the best, okay?"

He shook his head, looking down at his harness straps as he ensured they were all secure. "Let's not. Leaving them behind to be discovered would be sloppy and amateur of us."

He removed the scroll case from his pouch and he handed it to her. "If I don't come back within an hour or if you see any house guards coming this way, you take this and haul ass back to headquarters. The most important thing is to make sure this gets to the commander. If it looks like you might get overrun, burn the damned thing. We'll lose our evidence against French, but he won't have his precious decree to present either and it'll at least buy some time."

She compressed her lips. "Then I'm coming with you. Just give me a minute to change and—"

"No," he interrupted sternly. "One of us has to make it back to HQ, Hange. If someone's going to get caught, it's better off being me."

Hange raised a brow. "Why, because you're the man?"

"Pfft, don't be stupid." He grabbed hold of the back of her piled curls and he brought his face in close to hers. "Because I've got a better chance of freeing myself if they _do_ catch me, four-eyes. Tell me I'm wrong."

Hange stared at him, distracted by the closeness of his face to hers. What was he saying? Oh yes...he'd have a better chance of breaking himself out if they caught him. Well, that much was true. Why did those frowning lips have to be so close, though? Had he developed a penchant for grabbing her hair and getting in her face just to make his points more thoroughly, or could there be something more to it?

"All right, Levi," she agreed a little breathlessly. Maybe he just had a subconscious thing for hair-pulling and he didn't even realize it. "I agree that your plan makes sense, but don't you dare get your little ass caught to begin with. If you can't find it in a timely manner, just give it up and come back, okay?"

"I'll take that into consideration."

He released her hair and he started to pull away, but Hange grabbed his cloak on impulse and pulled him close again. "Levi?"

"What?"

His breath tickled her lips, warm and caressing on them. Hange wasn't sure what drove her to do it. She'd long since dropped any notion of anything romantic happening between the two of them, but he was doing this for her—whether he admitted it or not. She kissed him swiftly on the mouth before releasing him.

"Be careful, pipsqueak."

Levi looked so bewildered that she almost laughed. He stared at her with wide gray eyes, for once bearing an expression other than boredom on his sculpted features. "What the _hell_? Someone's in a kissy mood tonight..."

Hange smiled at him and she shooed him. "You'd better get going. The longer you wait, the more the hornet's nest is going to stir."

He stared at her in confusion for a moment longer, before pulling his mask back on over his head. He exited the coach muttering about crazed scientists and their fuzzy logic, and Hange snickered behind her hand. She couldn't believe she'd just done that, but she didn't regret it.

* * *

Levi took down two guards on his way back into the estate grounds, and he retraced his path. He knew Hange still had the reticule before they left, so with any luck it might have fallen on the ground somewhere during their retreat. He kept to the shadows whenever possible and he cursed when he heard the barking of dogs. He was sure he hadn't left anything behind for them to have the hounds sniff, but if they'd found Hange's reticule it was possible that her scent was their focus, and if that was the case, it was likely mingled with his own. Levi took to the walls quietly and he waited as a patrol of guards passed beneath him. When the coast was clear, he lowered himself back to the ground and he searched every which way for any sign of the peach colored little handbag.

Finding no sign of it, he looked back up at the window that he and his companion had escaped from and he considered the likelihood of finding it somewhere in French's bedroom—perhaps on the floor near the window. The guards would have likely found it there if that were the case, though. They'd have done a thorough sweep of the room for any evidence that might lead them to the man's assailant or the woman he'd tried to claim for himself.

"Shit," muttered Levi under his breath.

There was still a chance. That pig had tried to get Hange onto the bed, so maybe the reticule got kicked underneath it and was still there. Chances were they knew he'd been using ODM gear, so he couldn't expect that to give him much of an advantage. His options now were to give up and be on the lookout for MP investigation to come around to his regiment, or to take one last chance and see if his hunch was right.

Levi cursed again and he took aim with his grapplers, firing them into the wall above French's bedroom window. He scaled the surface with ease and he kept a sharp eye out for any men on the rooftops. Satisfied that he'd find no opposition on that front, he swung down to the window and he peeked in, checking for any signs of occupants. The room looked empty. With a slow breath, Levi worked on lifting the latch inside by use of certain tools he still kept on him from his days in the underground. When he managed to flip it up, he opened the window and he climbed in quietly. The room was dimmed and the door was hanging partway open. He'd have to be quick.

Levi got to his hands and knees on the polished wooden floor and he searched around for the reticule, checking by the bed and underneath it. His fingers came into contact with something silken and pouch-like, and he breathed a sigh of relief. That was it. He could feel the shape of Hange's shitty glasses inside when he squeezed it. He dropped the reticule into his belt pouch and he got up to leave, but then he heard the click of not one, but two pistols. Levi looked at the door to find one of the guards standing there with his weapon drawn on him. He turned slowly to the window to find a man wearing the uniform of the military police crouched there, also pointing a gun at him.

"Did you forget something, thief?" questioned the military policeman. "Put your hands behind your back. Now."

Levi sighed. This was going to get dicey.

* * *

"Squad commander, it's been an hour," the driver informed Hange through the window. "The captain advised us to leave if he wasn't back by now!"

"Just a few more minutes," she demanded. She poked her head out the window to look at the footman—who happened to be one of the new cadets, just like the driver. "Don't start getting nervous on us, darling. Everything's going to be all right!"

At least she _hoped_ it would be. Damn Levi; she never should have agreed to let him go back alone. She was the one that dropped the thing on their way out. She should have been the one to attempt the retrieval. It wasn't chivalry that ultimately drove him, but practicality. She knew that, and yet it had warmed her that he would go through the trouble just to get her glasses back. It didn't matter that there would be possible repercussions for her squad if they failed to recover the reticule.

"Hange, someone's coming!"

She immediately jumped out of the carriage and readied her blades, having changed into her black uniform and readied her gear just in case while waiting for Levi's return. She narrowed her eyes as she stepped out and looked in the distance where the coachman pointed.

"Be ready," she ordered, unable to see much more than a blurred figure approaching. Her hopes arose as she took note of the size of the figure and the grace of its sprinting movements. "It's the captain!"

Hange ran to meet him, sheathing her blades and catching him up in a tight hug as soon as she was within range. Levi sputtered a protest, still wearing his sheer black mask over his head.

"Easy, four-eyes," grunted the captain painfully. "We've got to go. I don't think they're too far behind me."

Hange noticed his limp for the first time and she put an arm around him to help him back to the carriage. "How badly are you hurt? Did you get it? Did they see your face?"

"Not bad, yes I got it and no, they never got my mask off."

Levi climbed into the coach with a slight groan and Hange followed him in and closed the door. Once they were safely inside, the driver snapped the reins and he turned the carriage around. It was a bumpy ride that got bumpier as they picked up speed. Hange helped Levi take his mask off and she frowned when she saw the blood on his lips and the swelling of his left eye.

"Oh, you're going to need to put a steak on that when we get home," she predicted with a wince, gently touching the bruising flesh around his eye.

Levi grimaced slightly and he dug her reticule out of his pouch and held it up. "Your glasses, asshole."

Hange smiled a little guiltily at him as she took the offering, and she clucked her tongue. "Where else are you hurt?"

He pressed a hand against his right side and he grimaced a little. "One of them got me here with the butt of his rifle. They were trying to take me alive, or I might not have made it back."

Hange bit her lip and she scooted closer to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Lean against me and rest, then. I'll see to your injuries when we make it back...just like you saw to mine after our last expedition."

She expected him to refuse her...expected him to tell her to leave him be. Instead to her surprise, Levi leaned against her with a tired sigh. Hange stroked his hair, loosening it where it had been smushed down by the pull-over mask. As he closed his eyes, she brushed her lips against his forehead. The captain was evidently too tired to care enough to protest.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buggar. I have the Levihan feels.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemon warning

"Levi, wake up my dear."

He grunted and he lifted his head off her shoulder. "Meh?"

Hange struggled not to laugh at him. She'd enjoyed having him rest against her shoulder entirely too much. "We're at Headquarters. Wake up, sleeping beauty."

"Oh." He sat upright and he covered his bruised mouth on a yawn, wincing a little. "Damn, I'm more fucked up than I thought."

"I'll take a good look at you," she promised. The footman opened up the door and she stepped out, holding her arms out for Levi. "Come on, cutie."

"I'm fine," he insisted, staggering out of the coach. He blinked his good eye, squinting. "Erwin better fucking appreciate this."

Hange again felt bad. Levi was only so beaten up because of her blunder. "Go and rest, Levi. I'll turn in the documents, okay?"

He looked up at her and he grumbled softly. "Fine. I hope your dress is all right."

Hange was abruptly stunned by the comment, and she watched him as he wandered off into headquarters. What did it matter? Her gaze flicked to the interior of the coach, where said dress was stashed beneath the seat. For one single night, she'd had the opportunity to play the princess. She'd been on the arm of her best friend...the man whom she'd come to care for more than she could readily admit. He'd been such a perfect gentleman, damn him.

"You antagonizing little bastard," muttered Hange beneath her breath as Levi walked off. It wasn't really fair of her to resent him for being so appealing. Against all common sense, she suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia and she missed Petra terribly. She sighed. "What in the hell am I thinking? Ah, my dear...you would be so proud of him. What an annoying little sweetheart."

Smirking at herself, Hange half-climbed into the coach to retrieve the formal outfits she and Levi had worn to the ball. "Good job, fellows," she assured the driver and the footman as she carried the bundle of clothing away.

* * *

"Well, this is disturbing." Erwin studied the procured scroll with a frown, his thick golden brows drawn tight. "Hange, I think we could have a bigger problem on our plate than originally thought."

"I agree," she stated with a nod, "and Erwin, I have to admit that it could have been even worse. Levi saved my ass."

The vivid blue eyes glanced up at her. "Beg pardon?"

She sighed and she shrugged, standing up to pace the floor. "I might have made a teensy mistake. I left my reticule behind with my glasses in it, and the captain went back for it. That's why he's so beaten up."

Erwin suppressed a groan. "Hange..."

"I know! You don't need to say anything." She grimaced and she thought of poor Levi's bruised face. "He took care of it though. In fact, I should get around to seeing to him. The poor dear is all battered up because of me. May I be excused?"

Erwin huffed a bit, covering his mouth on a cough. He made a gesture at the door. "By all means, if he'll allow it, then go and see to him."

Hange grinned at him. "He's a feisty little shit."

"Indeed," agreed Erwin. "Best of luck, Hange. Thank you both for your efforts."

She saluted him and she made her exit, eager to treat Levi's wounds.

* * *

"What?" He was cross. He wasn't in the mood for any bullshit. Annoyingly, Hange's voice from the other side of the door had an oddly lightening affect on Levi's mood.

"It's just me, darling! I promised I'd look after you, remember? I have medication and bandages!"

Levi pulled the door open and he frowned at the scientist. She still looked pretty. Damn her. Hange's hair still retained some curls and her shadowed eyes were wide and intriguing. "Fine. Come in."

Hange eagerly came in and she closed the door behind her. "Okay, sit down and relax. Let me have a look at that eye."

Levi grumbled and he sat down on the bed as ordered, allowing her to see to him. "It's not a big deal."

"I'll be the judge of that, you temperamental little shit." Hange smirked at him and she bowed over him as she uncorked the antiseptic solution. "Hold still, Levi. This might sting a little."

He dutifully allowed her to dab some of the stinging solution over his eye without complaint. Hange barely resisted the urge to kiss his brow as she finished. "Perfect patient! Well done, Levi. Now let's get that shirt off and see about those other bruises, shall we?"

"Anything to get me undressed," he mumbled in a dull attempt at humor.

Hange abruptly looked away, uncommonly embarrassed. Dear god.

"What's your problem?" demanded Levi as he pulled his shirt off.

* * *

"Nothing," she insisted. She forced herself to eye him clinically as he tugged the shirt over his head to reveal his chest and torso. Okay, this was fine. He was just a man. Just a ripped, hot, sexy...oh for fuck's sake...

"Levi...I know I said that I would dress your wounds," Hange whispered, meeting his gaze. "I will. I mean to. I just think...well, maybe I should send Moblit in here to take care of the rest of this."

Levi frowned at her. "What the hell? You okay, shitty glasses?"

Hange found herself smiling ruefully.

_~No, I'm not okay. I'm ridiculously horny and your bruised, toned stomach isn't helping, tiny captain.~_

"I'm fine," she lied aloud. She touched the purpling flesh over his ribs lightly, running her fingertips over it. "Oh Levi...I'm so sorry. You really were such a gentleman."

He seemed faintly uncomfortable as he shrugged. "It's not a big deal. You'd have been in some shit if I hadn't gone after that bag. I...wouldn't have been okay with that."

Hange looked up at his face, and she found herself hedging a silly question. "Levi, was I pretty tonight?"

_~Motherfucker, did I really just ask that out loud?~_

To her eternal surprise, Levi nodded. "You were. You are. Don't let it go to your head, four-eyes."

Hange's smile took to her ears. "You...really think so? Usually you...well, I mean you aren't very...oh shit, I'm blushing."

Levi's perfect dark brows furrowed as he gazed down at her. "Hange, you aren't ugly."

There it was. That tiny little confirmation that she'd never dared admit she'd been waiting for. It never truly dawned on her how much it mattered, before. This annoying, angry little man's opinion meant more to her than she could ever admit to herself and suddenly she felt like crying. She stood up abruptly, feeling her eyes sting.

"Well, you look okay," Hange said tightly. "Goodnight, Levi!"

He stared after her as she charged out of the room, leaving her medical accoutrements behind.

"What the fuck," muttered Levi in confusion.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, Hange found herself unable to sleep. This was the fourth night in a row she'd had an erotic dream about Levi. She knew she was in real trouble. She didn't know how to react. She was completely incompetent. It was ridiculous. She paced in her room and she smirked, even as she tapped her lip. "Levi, you little bastard."

Oh gods, did she really feel this? It went beyond all reason.

"No, no, stop it."

Shit. the feeling was there, though. She couldn't stop it. She'd felt it for longer than she cared to admit. Damn it.

"Oh, I hate you."

She muttered the unkind words even as she smiled to herself. "You jackass."

She did care for him, though. More than that. The little fucker had gotten into her heart.

"Damn you."

Hange sighed. There was no help for it. She looked at the door and she debated with herself. If she went to him now, she would be lost. She knew it. Gods, what was going to happen? "No, no, no...I can't! I can't!"

It physically ached her. She wanted him, and yet she could not answer her needs. Hange started for the door and she paused, her hand hovering over the knob.

_~What in the hell am I doing? Oh mother of gods, am I really thinking of this?~_

But dear gods, she wanted him. She was out of her mind. Hange blinked and she rubbed her eyes. It was so stupid. Levi only did it all for her safety. He wasn't interested in her at all. He was a comrade. He had no interest in her. What in the everliving hell made her even entertain such thoughts?

Hange pulled her hand away from the doorknob. Her hand clutched into a fist and she frowned. "What am I doing? He's my best friend."

Levi was indeed her best friend. It ached her heart. Hange sighed softly and she bowed her head. "Petra, what should I do? He's your man, isn't he?"

There was no answer for her. Hange was on her own. The scientist grumbled under her breath. "You're no damned help."

She took Petra's silence as acceptance, though. Hange's troubled brows drew together and she tried not to hate herself as she opened the door. "I'll care for your man, Petra."

* * *

Levi was nudged out of sleep rudely. "What the hell?"

Hange unceremoniously cuddled up to Levi. "Hi."

He frowned severely at her, and he repeated his earlier statement. "What in the hell..."

Hange snuggled him. "I've decided something. I like you." His bruises from their mission had faded by now, and she graced his features with gentle fingertips.

Levi stared at her brown head, resting on his chest. "Are you on something?"

Hange tilted her head back to look at him. "No, you goof. I know you might think so, but I'm really not."

"Then tell me what's is going on," muttered Levi, "because this is freaking me out."

Hange sighed and she lifted her head off his chest to gaze into his eyes. "You are such an asshole."

Levi stared cluelessly at her. Once again, he repeated the same lament. "What the hell?"

Hange shook her head and laughed. "My god, you're dumb."

"Fuck you," grumped Levi. He started to lift up. "What's your problem?"

There really was no way to say it. She had this one little chance. Hange looked into her compatriot's gray eyes and she took a deep breath. Shit. She really wasn't good with men. Hange threw caution into the wind and she closed the distance between her mouth and Levi's. He seemed sufficiently stunned. He didn't react right away, in fact. Hange suffered a terrible feeling that she'd fucked up direly. Levi was so damned still...it was a terrifying moment for her. Then his mouth became suddenly animated against hers. It was frankly glorious. His tongue thrust against hers and he groaned softly into her mouth. His fingers combed through her hair and he caught her around the waist to drag her more firmly onto him.

Oh gods, it was more than she'd expected. His kiss was so intense. His tongue thrust against hers insistently and for the love of gods, his hips were rocking against hers. She could feel his arousal pressing firmly between her thighs and Hange wanted nothing more than to answer that call.

"Levi," she gasped, aching all over, "wait..."

His mouth was practically devouring her throat. "What? What's wrong?"

Hange combed her fingers through his hair and she gazed into his flashing eyes. "We need to calm down."

Panting softly, he practically glared at her. "Now you get some common sense?"

Hange couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, my sweet. I'm so sorry."

Levi seemed less than pleased. "You got me worked up."

Hange grimaced. She hadn't had a man in ages. She didn't know how to speak to him. "Levi..."

He stared up at her, breathing heavily. "Shitty-Glasses, you are really messing me up."

Hange couldn't help but laugh. She bowed over him and she kissed his frowning lips. "Levi...be kind to me, will you?"

He frowned at her and he reached up to touch her face. To Hange's astonishment, Levi caressed her cheek.

"I'll be kind to you, Hange. Fuck knows, you've earned it."

It was all she could ever ask for. She kissed him again and her misgivings faded.

* * *

As soon as her lips met his again, he lost it. Levi groaned into the kiss, aching for further contact. He pushed upwards into her hand as Hange gripped his swelling length and he grunted.

"You're going to get in trouble," he warned breathlessly. "I thought you wanted for us to calm down. That's going to do the exact opposite to me, four-eyes."

"I don't care." Her mouth was insistent on his and she started tugging his pajama pants down. "Levi...shit..."

He was as bad off as she was. He lifted his hips and allowed her efforts, kissing her as desperately as she was kissing him. "Fuck...get them off.."

Hange laughed at once and she nuzzled his nose. "You are so cute."

"Shut up."

Levi was aching and he gave a pump of his hips, reminding her of his situation. Hange chuckled and she tugged his pants down further. "Grump."

Levi caressed her hips with his hands. He gazed into her eyes. "You know what you're doing, right? I don't mean how to have sex...I mean having it with me. You're sure about this?"

Hange paused to stare at him. "Yes. Are you?"

He took a slow breath, and he nodded. "Yes." He reached up to tug her glasses off, and he gazed at her thoughtfully. She really _was_ pretty. He plopped her glasses back down. Yes...still pretty. He'd never really appreciated it before—maybe because he was so intent on being annoyed with her. "Hey Hange, I ought to warn you."

"About what, my dear?" She kissed his nose and his cheek, and then she nuzzled his temple, embracing him.

He pressed his face between her small, pert breasts and he sighed. Could he do this again? Levi closed his eyes and he shivered, hugging her around the waist. "I'm fucked up."

Hange snorted. "Really? I never would have guessed."

Levi popped her on the ass and he looked up at her again. "I'm being serious, shit-face."

Hange sobered, peering at him quietly as she ran her fingers through his dark hair. "Are you scared, handsome?"

Scared didn't even begin to describe it. Levi was frankly terrified. There he was with a woman he'd been at odds with for years, more than ready to screw her cross-eyed—and he fucking cared for her. Losing Petra was such a stunning blow. Opening himself up like this again was frankly painful to him. Levi stared at her with troubled gray eyes, even as his body screamed for him to lose himself in her.

Hange knew him by now, though. She gazed back at him and she frowned slightly. She pulled her glasses back off and she put them aside on the bedside table. Her scarred, brilliant hands cupped his face and she stared into his eyes with complete sincerity. "Levi, we are both alive...so let's live."

Those deft, talented fingers began to flick open the buttons of her nightshirt, and Levi's gaze was drawn to the scientist's breasts as she parted the material. No matter how stoic, no matter how stubborn, Levi was as appreciative of the female form as any other man.

Hange started to chuckle.

"What?" demanded Levi as the nightshirt fluttered to the bedding, leaving her straddling him in nothing save for her plain, boring white panties. "For the record, men don't tend to like being laughed at when we're in the middle of sex."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, cupping his face again. Her grinning mouth descended to his. "I'm not used to being stared at like this, sweetheart. I'm a little nervous."

Levi stroked her back, his fingers gliding over the slightly roughened skin marked by years of wearing the ODM harness. He shook his head. "You don't have to be nervous." He swallowed and he finally said what he'd been thinking since she'd snuck into his bedroom. "You're pretty, Hange."

Her smile was fucking endearing. "Really? Do you mean that?"

Levi wanted to punch himself—not for finally telling her, but for making her think otherwise. He put his hands on her waist and he rolled over with her, pinning her taller frame beneath him. "Yes, I mean it. You weren't just pretty the other night on our mission. Sorry for being such an asshole, four-eyes."

Of course, sans glasses the nickname didn't really fit just now. It didn't matter, though. Her loose brown hair was spread out on the pillows beneath her head and her red-brown eyes glittered up at him as she smiled. She reached up to stroke his cheek.

"Thank you, Levi."

At once, he felt awkward. "Thanks for what? It's true."

He lowered his gaze and he braced himself on one arm as he let a hand glide down her exposed body. Her breath caught as that hand burrowed beneath those boring white panties, his fingers deftly seeking out her moist loins. He kissed her as he began to stroke her with care. He wanted to rip that flimsy barrier away and pound her silly, but she deserved better. As cold and calculating as Levi could be on the battlefield, he'd never been callous with his lovers.

"Relax," he murmured against her lips between kisses. "It's okay, Hange."

"Oh...I just...this is...mmm..." Her voice was tense and breathy as she reacted to his fondling, and her thighs parted instinctively.

Levi flicked his finger persuasively against the nub of her clit, his tongue delving into her mouth. He swallowed her little gasps as he pleasured her, and he bumped his straining length against her thigh. His stupid pajama pants were still half-on. That was annoying. With a little grunt, he paused in his fondling, pulling his hand out of her panties so that he could yank said pants down further and wriggle out of them. He immediately captured her lips again and delved back into her panties.

"L-Levi," Hange moaned, trembling beneath him.

"Shh."

He almost smiled. He wondered how long it had been for her. Longer than it had been for him, perhaps? She was reacting as though she'd never been with a man. Maybe her last hadn't taken care with her body. Levi had no intention of neglecting her. He took an almost sinister delight in each little gasp he provoked from her lips, and when she began to roll her hips into his persistent fingering, he felt a thrill go through him. Her hands clutched at his naked shoulders and her breath shivered on her lips between kisses. Forget about titans...he was making her tremble with excitement. It was ridiculously gratifying for him, after seeing her freak out so much over those damned giant morons so much.

"Hange," murmured Levi as she started to buck. He slipped a finger between the velvety flesh he was caressing, pushing deeply into her. She gasped and her freshly manicured nails dug into his back. He rubbed her clit with his thumb as he curled his finger inside of her. Levi kissed her again and he entered her with his middle finger as well, eager to make her ready for him.

"Oh, son of a bitch," groaned the scientist, rolling her hips again. "I'm...Levi, you're making me...I'm..."

He felt her clenching around his fingers and he kissed her hard, groaning with need. Then her thighs wrapped around his waist and they practically squeezed him in two. Levi grunted and he cursed under his breath. His first instinct was to bitch her out, but the look on her face stopped him. She was coming _hard_. It was a wonder she wasn't breaking his fingers.

"Damn, shitty glasses," Levi gasped, staring down at her.

"Oh...oh my word," Hange groaned, tossing her head. "You darling...little beast!"

"Heh." Levi couldn't help himself. He nuzzled her throat. "Having fun yet?"

Panting, she opened her eyes to look up at him. "I must...confess. I've often wondered if you...were as good in bed as...you are in the field."

Not a man alive couldn't appreciate that. Levi smirked at her. "And?"

"Better," breathed Hange with a small laugh. She kissed him with a wet smack. "You're very generous, my dear."

Levi withdrew his fingers and he hooked them through her panties to tug them down, kissing her ear. "I'm about to get selfish, though."

Hange assisted him with the removal of the garment, and she put her arms around his neck. Her thighs parted again and she stared up at him as Levi positioned himself. "Be as selfish as you want, handsome. After that, you deserve it."

Levi was almost reluctant to push in. Oddly enough, he feared he might hurt her. Hange reached down to grip his swollen length and she smirked. "You definitely aren't short down there. What are you waiting for, my dear?"

He huffed softly. He had no verbal answer for her. He didn't know how to respond.

Hange reached up with her free hand and she stroked his hair, her expression softening. "I want you."

That was all he needed. He gazed steadily into her eyes and he allowed her to guide him in. God, she was tight. Levi's brows furrowed as he drove his hardened length into her. Hange's breath caught and her long legs wrapped around his waist.

"Oh God...Levi...you're such a big boy..."

He wasn't really expecting that response. Not that he wasn't aware of his own endowments, but to hear it from Hange was almost comical. Before he knew it, Levi blurted a laugh.

"You're...supposed to be flattered by that observation," gasped Hange. She popped him on the ass. "Not amused!"

He lifted his head and he managed to keep a straight face as he stared down at her. "You bring out the worst in me, shitty glasses."

Hange smiled at him, sighing as he fully penetrated her. She kissed his chin softly. "I've never heard you laugh like that before, Levi."

He'd never heard himself laugh like that, either. Not even with Petra. It was a little startling. Levi gazed into Hange's eyes and he wondered how this frustrating woman managed to drag out the oddest responses in him. She was so tight around him, it was almost painful.

"So how long has it been for you?" he asked, withdrawing to the tip and sliding back in gently.

"Oh! Oh God, that's good," gasped Hange. Her nails raked his back and she tilted her head back. "Mmm..."

"That's not an answer." Levi ran his tongue over the column of her throat and he thrust again.

"Sorry, what was that?" Hange smiled and she angled her hips into the thrust. "I was distracted by your hard, hot cock."

"Dirty bitch." Levi dropped his head to her shoulder, worried he might laugh again.

Hange combed her fingers through his hair and she moaned softly, undulating beneath him as he began to pump his hips. "Yes, I'm a dirty bitch. I'm a _very_ dirty bitch and all I want is my sweet...oh...Levi...goddamn it..."

His breath hitched and he started thrusting faster. Hange's ankles crossed over the small of his back and she started crying out. He forgot all about his question. He forgot about anything, in fact. She felt so amazing. It didn't matter. Hange matched his rhythm and she clutched his ass as his excitement increased. Levi groaned and the headboard of the bed started banging against the wall as he pumped faster and harder.

"Oh...ahhh! Levi!" Hange suddenly rolled over, and he found himself beneath her.

"Oh shit..."

No sooner did the words leave his mouth than Levi found himself being ridden hard. Hange didn't hold back. She took him for all he was worth and the captain could barely do more than grab her hips and gasp her name. Her small breasts bounced as she rode him and her eyes blazed down at him in the moonlight. Panting, Levi thrust his hips beneath her and he let her have her way.

"Fuck, Hange...w-wait a minute!"

It was no good. She was slamming him hard and Levi was again reminded that sleeping with women skilled in ODM gear tended to have astonishing results. She was passionate and unforgiving, moaning his name as she took him into her body over and over again. Her hands splayed over his chest and Levi obliged her demands, gasping with each thrust. He clenched his jaw and he reached between her bouncing thighs to fondle her clit. His other hand reached up to caress her breasts, teasing the nipples one at a time.

By the mercy of Heaven, she came moments later. Levi grunted and his eyes fluttered shut as he felt her inner walls squeeze him mercilessly. "Shit...oh, shit..."

He lifted off the mattress and he held her tightly, burying his face between her breasts as he spilled himself inside of her. Ragged gasps filled the air as Hange put her arms around him in return, kissing his sweating forehead.

"I didn't break you, did I?"

Levi tilted his head back to look at her. He couldn't even pretend to be suave right now. "You came damned close, four-eyes."

Hange smiled at him and she cupped his chin, lowering her head for a soft kiss on his lips. "You were such a good boy."

"Hey, I'm not a fucking dog."

She laughed breathlessly, hugging him. "Of course not, my dear. Of course not."

* * *

With the morning came reality...and it was actually _good_ reality. Hange yawned as she awoke, and she gave a little start when she realized the arm draped over her waist belonged to none other than Captain Levi. She blinked over her shoulder at the sleeping man, faintly startled for a moment.

_~Oh, that's right. Last night we...ahem.~_

In fact, they'd done it more than once. Three times, in fact. It was glorious. Hange smiled mischievously at her sleeping little lover, and she traced his features with one fingertip. He was so damned cute in his sleep. Scratch that—he was so damned cute everywhere. Very considerate in bed, as well.

"Mumph," grumbled Levi as Hange traced the shell of his ear with one fingernail. He swatted blindly at her. Okay, so his mad lovemaking skills didn't seem to translate into morning cuddles. That was all right.

"Levi, I'm going to go have breakfast and get to my research," she whispered. She kissed the crown of his head. "I'll bring you a tray if you w—"

Levi's arm reached out and grabbed her before Hange could escape the bed. She blurted a protest as she was suddenly pulled into his unconscious embrace.

"Dear, I need to get moving," she mumbled against his chest.

Levi only hugged her tighter.

Hange started to snicker, and she embraced him back. "Affectionate little grump, aren't you? You went from swatting at me to this!"

"Hummph," answered Levi, clearly not awake yet.

Hange kissed his frowning lips. "Awww, my tiny captain. Don't worry: I'll have a plate of breakfast put aside for you."

She grunted as she reluctantly extracted herself from his embrace. "Let go, you little shit. I have work to do."

It was a bit of a challenge; not just because Levi was unconsciously embracing her, but because Hange wasn't in a big hurry to leave his arms. She finally got up and she located her panties and nightshirt. After slipping them on and putting on her glasses, she smiled down at her slumbering lover and she reached out to caress his face, once more. She loved him. She'd been in love with him for some time now, but due to circumstances she hadn't been able to act on it.

Hange bowed over Levi to kiss the crown of his head. "Sleep well, my darling grump."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short-ish chapter this time, but hey...it has a lemon.


	4. Chapter 4

Had anyone told him a year ago that he'd end up sleeping with Hange, he'd have accused them of being insane. Had someone told him the same a few months after that, he might have been less skeptical. Captain Levi couldn't say exactly when it started to change, but there was no denying it now. She was gone when he woke up, but her scent lingered in the sheets. He got up, showered and dressed, and while he was out doing his rounds through the keep, he came across her. She was speaking to Eren about his recently ability to harden his skin in titan form. The boy had succeeded in using said ability months ago to seal the remaining breach in the wall, and the scouts had cleared the district of remaining titans.

Levi paused and he found himself staring at Hange. She was animated as always as she talked to Eren, wearing an excited smile on her lips as she discussed the possibilities of him learning even more unique abilities.

"Good morning, Levi."

The captain nearly gave a start at the unexpected voice. He turned to look up at Erwin. He hadn't even noticed him approaching. The commander had a cup of coffee in his hand and he sipped it as he looked at Hange and Eren. "You seem a bit distracted. Is Hange driving you to frustration with her ideas, again?"

Levi huffed. No, she was driving him to frustration in other ways, though. He wondered how obvious he'd been when he was staring at her. "She's always driving me to frustration," he murmured.

"Well, try not to be too hard on her," suggested Erwin. "We're in a more precarious position with the citizens than ever before, and we can't afford to be at odds with each other."

Levi resisted a smirk. If only the commander knew just how well he and Hange had started to get along. He wasn't ready to be open about it yet though, as he was still reeling a bit over the change in their relationship. He looked at her again and he vividly recalled what she'd looked like during an orgasm. He saw Erwin frown a bit and tilt his head from the corner of his eye, and he looked up at him again.

"What?"

Shit. The man was too damned observant. His blue eyes were frankly suspicious on Levi, now.

"I believe I'm just imagining things," muttered Erwin in response. He sipped his coffee again and he glanced Hange's way.

At that moment, her wide eyes met Levi's and the captain abruptly retreated without a word, fearful that he'd give himself away completely if he remained there. Levi cursed under his breath as he heard Hange speak in a faintly hurt tone.

"What did I do now?"

He sighed. Wonderful. That was the wrong way to handle himself.

_~Good one. Fuck her and then avoid her the next day.~_

And he actually felt sincerely bad about it, because his reaction was simply to throw Erwin off the scent before he figured it out. Levi needed some time to sort out his head, first.

* * *

Hange tracked him down a while later, finding Levi by the stables. She glanced around to be sure nobody was around to overhear them, and she approached him. Putting her hands on her hips, she spoke in a low hiss.

"So what in the hell was _that_ all about this morning? You'd think I had the plague or something."

Levi sighed and he patted his horse's neck. "That was about me fucking up. I panicked."

Her brows shot up. "You? I find that hard to believe."

Levi smirked without humor. "You don't know how bad I suck at romance, then."

Hange glanced around again and she relaxed a bit, encouraged by his explanation. "You didn't seem to have any trouble last night, Levi."

"I said I suck at romance, not sex," he corrected. "The physical shit is the easy part for me. It's the other stuff I stumble over. I wasn't trying to avoid _you_ this morning, four-eyes. I was avoiding Erwin."

"Erwin?" she repeated with a frown. "Why?'

"Because he was about to figure things out." Levi met her eyes and he hesitated for a moment. "I'm not ready for people to know. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what we did, myself."

Her perplexed look changed into a frown. "Are you embarrassed, Levi? Is the thought of people finding out you banged a geek really that terrifying to you?"

"I'm not embarrassed, damn it," he snapped, becoming frustrated. He dragged his fingers through his hair. "I'm...confused."

Hange stepped closer to him. "Then let me help clear up your confusion, tiny captain."

Levi got the sinking feeling she was about to slap him, throttle him or both. Her mahogany gaze was intense and glittering on him, and he found himself suddenly pushed against the back wall of his horse's stable. Hange grabbed his cravat and he sputtered a protest. "Hey, calm d—"

Her mouth descended to Levi's, cutting off his advisement. Her lips moved against his in an almost punishing way and she kept tight hold on his cravat so that he couldn't easily pull away. Not that he really wanted to. That fire was definitely still there. It hadn't been a fluke. Hange's tongue caressed his and Levi forgot where the hell they were. He responded impulsively, his arms going around her waist to pull her tightly against him.

He came to his senses when Hange released him, gasping for breath and staring at him intently. "Well, Captain? How is that confusion now?"

He swallowed, in a daze. "Now I'm confused _and_ horny. Thanks." He looked around covertly, hoping nobody had come by and seen them sucking face.

"What is there to be confused about?" demanded Hange. She cupped his chin as she searched his eyes. "I want you. You want me. So damned what if anyone else finds out?"

He held her gaze. "Because I don't want to fucking jinx it, all right?"

He looked away as he heard his own outburst, and he frowned. Levi leaned back against the wall and he crossed his arms over his chest. He hadn't even realized that was part of his problem until just now. "Petra died the same day I proposed to her. As soon as I made the decision to commit to her completely, she..."

* * *

Hange blinked at the captain as he trailed off, and her frustration with him faded into sympathy. "Oh, sweetheart, is that what you think? That you somehow cursed your future with her by proposing?"

He met her gaze again, silently. There it was—that quiet pain that Levi had kept so well-hidden from everyone. Hange had seen it before, but she wasn't sure if he'd ever revealed it to anyone else. She checked a sigh and she combed her fingers gently through his hair.

"You didn't jinx anything," she reasoned with him. "You asked the woman you loved to be your wife, that's all."

Hange kissed the tip of his nose and she bowed her head to press her forehead against his. "If it will make you feel better, we can keep it to ourselves, Levi. You do still want me, don't you?"

He nodded. "If you'd glanced down just after you kissed me, you'd have seen the evidence of that."

She smiled. It was understandable if thoughts of Petra's death cooled his passion. Deciding not to mention it again, she spoke softly to him. "Take all the time you need, Levi. I can be discreet."

"Is that what you were doing when you came in here and shoved me up against the wall?" Levi's frown lessened a bit, and his eyes regained a glint to them.

Hange chuckled and she shrugged. "All right, so you got me there. I needed to confirm you still wanted me—especially after you said you were confused. I can behave."

"Hmph. We'll see."

* * *

It was fine for him to tell her that she needed to control herself around him, but Levi found that he was having a bit of trouble following his own advise. As days passed without another sexual encounter or even more than a few stolen kisses, he found it harder to keep his eyes off of Hange. When she'd brush up against him in a seemingly innocent way reaching for something or passing by him, the captain struggled with the urge to drag her off somewhere private.

On day six after their encounter, Hange winked and smirked at him after noticing him staring at the open top buttons of her shirt. They'd just sat down to have lunch and she leaned over to whisper at him. "Are you feeling restless, tiny captain?"

Levi hastily looked away. "Button your damned shirt."

"But it's such a warm day," she excused, fanning herself with one hand. She looked down at the opening in the shirt, checking out her own sparse cleavage. "It isn't as though I'm hanging out of it, after all. I'm not endowed enough for a few open buttons to make a difference."

His lips thinned. "It makes a difference. Don't be sloppy."

That wasn't the reason he objected at all, and he could tell she knew it by the mischief in her dark eyes. Hange speared a piece of baked carrot with her fork and she studied it as she brought it to her lips. "We're not out in public view, Levi. There aren't any civilians for me to impress."

He sighed, but then her foot nudged his playfully beneath the table and he knew beyond a doubt that she was deliberately teasing him. He glanced around before speaking in a whisper to her. "What the hell are you trying to do to me, shitty glasses?"

"Give you incentive," answered Hange readily.

Levi frowned at her. "Incentive to do _what_ , get blue balls?" He barely checked himself to avoid raising his voice, and he glanced over at Sasha when she sat down at the table next to theirs.

Hange chuckled and she pulled a folded piece of paper out of her jacket pocket. She slid it across the table to him and she ate the piece of carrot on her fork. Levi looked at her suspiciously before opening the note to read her scratchy handwriting.

_"Come to my quarters tonight, handsome."_

Levi could have groaned with relief. He tucked the slip of paper away and he sipped his tea before forking up a bite of cabbage. He nodded at Hange and he wasn't about to question her invitation.

* * *

Later that night after everyone had gone to bed, Hange got treated to a couple of rounds of amazing sex. She kissed Levi's sweating brow as he collapsed on top of her, and she stroked his back soothingly. He was trembling from the release, hinting that he'd been more frustrated than she'd guessed. Hange could relate with that. It hadn't been easy for her to stay away all week long.

"So why'd you make me wait this long?" Levi finally asked after catching his breath. He lifted his head to stare down at her in a subtly puzzled manner. "You nearly crushed my pelvis when we first got started. If you were that horny why put it off for nearly a week?"

Hange's fingers stroked the shaved portion of his undercut. "Well, you know that condition that's exclusive to women each month?"

At first he just appeared more confused, and then it dawned on him. "Oh. Shit, I thought I'd fucked up or something."

She shook her head and chuckled. "No. I just didn't think you'd want me discussing it with you, so I chose not to mention it. Men tend not to be comfortable with that subject."

Levi shrugged and he braced himself on his arms to ease some of his weight off of her. "It's a natural occurrence. It doesn't creep me out."

"Really? You don't think it's disgusting?"

"Only if you went running around waving your sanitary napkins in people's faces." He shrugged again.

"Now that _is_ gross," Hange said with a grimace. "Thanks for the visual, my dear. What a thing to say after making love!"

"I told you I suck at the romantic shit," he reminded her. He lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss. With a sigh, he rested his head on her chest and he closed his eyes as she nuzzled the crown of his head. "Erwin should be getting back from the capital tomorrow."

Hange nodded. The commander had gone to discuss the Scout's situation with Nile Dok. While they'd prevented their enemy from presenting the original document against the Survey Corps, he'd been warned by a friend that something else was going on in the background. That friend was none other than Nile's wife—whom Erwin still had feelings for.

"I don't understand why he didn't just marry her," sighed Hange. "You can tell there's still a spark between the two of them every time they see each other."

"Who?" Levi lifted his head with a frown.

"Marie, of course. Who else would I be talking about?"

"I don't fucking know. You were being vague and I'm not a mind reader. How was I supposed to know which 'he' and 'she' you meant?"

Hange pinched his bottom. "Because you'd just mentioned Erwin, silly. I thought it was pretty obvious who I meant."

"What you think is obvious and what really is obvious don't always match," Levi challenged. He laid his head back down. "We've talked about this before. Erwin made the choice that made the most sense to him for the good of humanity, giving up marriage and a family for his career. He was probably doing it for her good, too. Women don't like to worry about being widowed every time their husbands go out on the job."

"Hmm, that's a good point." Hange stroked his hair and she closed her eyes as well, sighing. "Fortunately for me, you and I work together and I'll never be left wondering. If you go down, I'm going down with you."

"What if we had a kid?" Levi asked sleepily, covering a yawn.

Hange went still. "A...kid?" Had she just heard him right?

"Yeah," he answered. "You know, one of those small versions of adults. Would you still be so quick to get yourself killed if you had a son or daughter to think of, four-eyes?"

"Well...we _don't_ have a kid," she reminded him, blushing. Where was this talk coming from? "It's a moot point."

"Hey, I'm not asking you to let me knock you up," he informed her. "I'm just giving you a hypothetical."

"All right then," Hange muttered, still a bit surprised by the turn the conversation had taken. "Say we had a baby. In that case, I would do everything in my power to bring us both back home to him or her."

"What if you couldn't?" Levi yawned again.

"You're really keen on asking the hard questions, aren't you?" Hange sighed.

"I'm just curious. My mind can go to strange places when I start falling asleep."

"No lie," she murmured, smiling. "Well, if I absolutely couldn't save you from death, I would try to survive myself for the sake of our child. Levi, can I just ask what inspired you to present this little scenario to me?"

"Hmm. Talking about nature, women's bodies and people having families." He nuzzled her throat and he sighed. "It just popped into my head."

"You keep surprising me, tiny captain," whispered Hange. That was a subject she never would have imagined him being curious about.

* * *

The next morning, a coach pulled up to the keep—but it wasn't Erwin's. Connie and Jean came into Levi's office urgently, both of them talking at the same time. "Captain, there's a lady here to see you!" Connie said.

"The commander's been arrested!" Jean blurted.

Levi froze with his pen hovering over his log book. "Calm down and speak more slowly, brats. I thought you just said that Erwin's been arrested. Tell me I misheard that."

Jean and Connie looked at each other, and the shorter boy gestured invitingly at his taller companion. Jean nodded and he explained. "There's a woman named Maria waiting downstairs for you. She says she's Commander Dok's wife and she's come to warn you about a coup in the works against us, Captain. According to her, the commander was arrested before dawn as he was getting ready to leave their home. That's all she told us before we came to get you. Squad commander Hange is down there speaking with her right now."

Levi swore vilely. Everything just seemed to keep going to hell lately, and Erwin couldn't seem to keep his ass out of jail. "All right, I'm coming."

* * *

"Captain Levi, I am so sorry," Marie said to him when he arrived downstairs to join her and Hange in the drawing room she'd been taken to. She had a cup of tea in her hand and it shook with anxiety as she raised the cup to her lips. She was a comely woman with long auburn hair, pale blue eyes and curves that tended to draw men's eyes to her.

Hange looked up from her position in the chair across from Nile's wife, her brows hedged with concern. "She left as soon as they took Erwin. Nile went with to try and straighten this mess up, but I don't think there's anything he's going to be able to do."

"It isn't just Erwin," explained Marie. "According to my husband, the Military Police have begun rounding up members of the Survey Corps in every district. They plan to come here to arrest all of you tonight. You have to leave!"

Levi sat down on the other available armchair and he rested his hands over his knees. "Shit. Why the hell did Dok set him up like that? They trained together."

"He knew they were going to be coming for him," admitted Marie. "I didn't realize his plans until the commander went to leave and a group of Military Police were outside waiting for him. My husband confessed to me that his superiors gave him direct orders to get Erwin away from headquarters and his soldiers. I came as soon as they left to warn you, despite my husband's warning not to get involved."

She shook her head. "A merchant named Adam French and several of his associates brought their case to court on the day after Mr. French was allegedly attacked in his bedroom. After that, they began rounding up Scouts and I'm sorry to say, it appears the motion to disband your regiment has gone through. That was why I contacted Erwin." She wiped her eyes and she gazed down at the cup in her hand. "I didn't know my husband would go behind my back and betray the commander."

Hange's eyes widened. "That merchant said he only had one copy of that decree," she blurted, drawing Marie's gaze to her.

"Obviously he was full of shit," Levi mused. "Not as stupid as he looks, either. Maybe he just drew another one up. The important thing is that the swine and his friends pulled it off, despite our efforts."

"Oh, that nasty lecher," fumed Hange. "All of that for nothing! Marie my dear, are you _sure_ we have until tonight before the MP's come for us?"

"To the best of my knowledge, yes," answered the other woman, "but I would leave as soon as possible, if I were you. I...I wish I had simply come here myself to begin with, once I discovered what was happening. If I'd done that, then Erwin wouldn't be in prison awaiting trial right now with the others they've arrested."

"You can't know that for certain," Hange soothed. "Nile was probably keeping an eye on you, knowing you would want to warn Erwin. Ugh, that betraying bastard!"

"We don't know what they might have been holding over his head," reasoned Levi. "Nile's gone against orders before to help the commander out. This time he might have just been backed too far into a corner. It sounds like they've been doing this shit in the background for weeks, now. My question is what they plan to do with our soldiers they've rounded up so far. Mass execution?"

Marie brought a shaking hand to her mouth and she made a small sound of distress, her thoughts obviously on Erwin. Hange patted her knee and she gave Levi an admonishing look. "Don't be so grim, Levi."

He shrugged. "Why the hell not? They almost hung Erwin once already. This gives them an excuse to try again."

"I...I'll do what I can to see that doesn't happen to him," promised Marie. "I have more connections that I can try. Please, just leave and go into hiding while you can. Don't let them arrest you too, Captain."

Hange looked at her lover with a frown. "Where the hell can we go where the MP's can't follow? If they've been combing the districts for our soldiers for all this time, they've probably got most of them by now. Why didn't Erwin tell us?"

Levi met Marie's eyes. "Because he probably wanted to confirm the information, first. Doesn't really matter. You know by now that the commander doesn't always let us in on his plans until he's ready to execute them. He was probably trying to plot a way to counter the conspiracy against us before approaching us about it."

Hange sighed. "We see how well _that_ turned out. Now the fool man's in chains again and we don't really have anywhere to go."

Levi lowered his gaze in thought. "Yes, we do. There's one place those assholes suck at navigating. It's a shit-hole, but it's probably the best place to lay low for a while until we can figure this out. Looks like we're outlaws, until then."

Hange regarded him with interest and Marie held a hand up as Levi parted his lips to explain his idea to her. "Please, don't reveal the location in front of me."

Levi narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't trust yourself with that information? We may need to make use of you as a liaison at some point, if we're going to clear this up and get our people out of prison."

"I was as discreet as possible when I came here, Levi," she answered him, "but even so, there's a chance someone saw me heading here. When it comes to the commander's life, I don't know if I would have the strength to retain secrecy. It's best that I don't know where you plan to go. They can't compel me to tell them what I don't know, even if they offer to pardon him or ensure me no execution order will be passed in exchange."

"I see." He mulled the problem over. "Then you'd best leave now and return home. Do what you can for the commander and we'll contact you later for news. Erwin would never want you in harm's way, anyhow, so it probably _is_ better you don't know where we're going."

"I'll see you back out to your carriage," offered Hange. "Captain, maybe you should arrange a meeting and let the others know what's going on."

Levi nodded in agreement. He wondered what their enemies planned to try and do with Annie Leonhart, now that they'd succeeded in their schemes against the Survey Corps. He couldn't think of that right now, though. Once again, he was going to be a fugitive. At least he had experience in that role and he could guide the others.

* * *

"We're going to the underground city?" Eren looked nonplussed about that information as Levi explained it to him and his fellow remaining scouts.

"That's right." Levi nodded and he paced the meeting room. "It's too bad, but it's the easiest place to lose ourselves and lay low."

"What about the wilderness?" Sasha suggested, obviously not happy with the captain's decision. "We could lose ourselves out there easily sir, and I know how to survive for a long time out in the wilds."

"The problem is we'd eventually run out of supplies," explained Levi, "and if we're out that far from populated areas it's going to be a bitch to replenish. We need to be close enough to act fast when the opportunity comes along, too. The _minute_ we have a window to put a stop to this, our asses have to be in motion."

"He's right," agreed Hange, "and as risky as it might sound, hiding right under their noses seems to be the way to go. Levi knows his way around the underground and he evaded authorities for _years_ before Erwin went after him."

"The Military Police don't hang around down there unless they have to," Levi said. "Not that I blame them for that. Say goodbye to sunlight for a while, kiddies. If they catch us, we're screwed—particularly Jaeger. I'm betting they're reportedly waiting until nightfall to come for us in the hopes that Eren won't be able to shift into his titan form."

"That makes sense," observed Armin softly. "They probably don't know that shifters don't rely on sunlight exposure the way ordinary titans do—or perhaps they're simply hoping the cover of nightfall will help them take us by surprise."

"Be that as it may, we need to haul ass and get out of here before they get the chance to try," reiterated Levi sternly. "Pack up your shit and bring as many supplies for the ODM gear as we can. I know where we can go down there without being seen by the locals. After that, we'll find a place to stay until this blows over."

Jean grimaced. "Are we sure it _will_ blow over this time, Captain? What are we supposed to do if it doesn't and we end up permanently disbanded outlaws?"

Levi shrugged. "Then you'd best pay attention to what I teach you and learn how to survive down there."

* * *

"Cheer up, kids," Hange said as they stood gazing down at the open mouth of the cave Levi led them to, leading down into the underground populace. "Think of this as a sort of adventure!"

Levi sighed. "An adventure in the muck, disease and filth. I can think of more engaging field trips."

He and Eren started to lower one of the crates down to Jean and Moblit, who were hanging from their ODM wires to carry supplies down. "We'll stash all of this down here for now, and someone can go with me to seek out a place to rent while the rest stay behind to guard our things. Sucks that we couldn't bring our horses, but there's no help for it."

"Speaking of the horses," Connie said as he lifted another crate to hand over to the captain, "what's going to happen to them?"

"They'll be confiscated by the Military Police, most likely," answered Levi. "They'll be fine, Springer. We'll work on getting them back if we can manage to get the Survey Corps cleared. The MP's aren't going to just leave such fine animals to rot in their stalls, trust me."

They finished lowering their things in and those still topside began to descend. They'd left all of their uniforms behind save one each, favoring civilian clothing instead to blend in better. It sure as hell wasn't a good idea to wear the wings of freedom while they were trying to hide out from their enemies.

"Nobody's likely to come here while I'm gone," explained Levi to his companions as they touched down inside, "but if they do, try to hide and avoid a confrontation. My friends and I used to come here to look up at the sky and nobody ever disturbed us."

Hange looked at him, knowing whom he was speaking of. Her eyes softened on him as he gazed around and wiped his hands off with a handkerchief. Isabel and Farlen were obviously on his mind, and she resisted the impulse to take one of his hands and squeeze it. "I'll watch over things here, Levi."

He nodded and he looked at their companions. "Armin, you come with me. If anyone fucks with us on the way through the city, just leave it to me."

"Yes sir," agreed the blond.

* * *

A few hours later, the displaced squad had a rented wagon to carry their belongings through the subterranean city, and Levi drove them to one of the duplex apartments in the less populated part of town. It wasn't the same place he used to share with his friends; that would have been a stupid choice. He unlocked the door as the others started unloading the wagon and he pushed it open with a creak. Hange came in behind him and she looked around at the sparsely furnished surroundings.

"Home shit home," muttered Levi. "There's only one bedroom, unfortunately. This was the only thing available on this side of town and I don't want to rent somewhere that gets a lot of traffic."

"This is fine," Hange said with a nod. "Nice and cozy. We'll just make sleeping pallets in the living room. You should have the bedroom, Levi."

"Tch. I was using that adjective lightly," he informed her. "The bedroom doesn't even have a bed in it." Levi guided her through the short hallway and he pushed open the door of said room for her inspection, clicking the light on.

Hange looked. It wasn't a large room. A queen sized bed would fit in there but it would leave little room for anything else. "Oh. Well, you should still take the room. You found us this place, after all."

Levi gazed at her quietly. "Actually, I was thinking you and I could take it together."

Hange blinked at him, and she glanced over her shoulder as the others filed in. "Levi? Are you sure? What about...you know."

He nodded. "Erwin's in prison, our squad has been disbanded and now we're outlaws. If we're going to be stuck in his hole for a while, I'm not adding insult to injury and sneaking around behind everyone's back. I thought about when I found this place and rented it under a pseudo-name. We're both adults and the brats can just deal with it. I'm sure they all know about the birds and the bees, by now."

She smiled at him. She'd expected for it to take much longer than this to wear him down about revealing their relationship to everyone. It was a pity it took a situation like this to convince him, but it boosted her confidence and cheered her, somewhat. She cupped his face, unmindful of their companions busily organizing trunks and crates behind them.

"Then let's seal it with a kiss, shorty."

Hange's mouth covered Levi's and she heard something heavy drop behind her.

"Uh...C-Captain?" blurted Eren in shock, having dropped his trunk with surprise. "Squad Leader?"

"Did I just hit my head without realizing it?" Moblit said upon seeing the two of them lip-locked.

Hange broke the kiss and she turned to smile at all their stunned faces. "Surprise. I'm sure you're all wondering when this developed."

Sasha and Connie both nodded, eyes wide in their young faces. Armin and Mikasa were quietly speculating, while Jean sputtered and gestured at the couple.

"You...how! I mean...you two are as far from each other's type as anyone could be!"

Levi's calm mask belied the slight flush in his cheeks resulting from Hange choosing to demonstrate what was going on between them in front of everyone like that. "How would you know what my type is, Kirstein?"

"Uh, you were with Petra," reasoned the young man. He immediately looked regretful as the captain frowned at him. "I just mean...guys, help me out, here."

"I don't need a reminder of who I was last with," said Levi.

Hange winced. Petra's memory would likely always haunt Levi. "I realize this is a little shocking to you all, but—"

"It's like watching my parents kiss," Connie interrupted. He lapsed into silence when Levi's gaze speared him. "N-no offense, sir."

"Is this going to be a problem for you all?" pressed the captain. "You have bigger things to worry about, if you recall. Cleaning, for example."

There was a collective groan. Levi ignored it and he sought out his cleaning supply trunk and the two brooms they'd brought with them. "Get to work. Just because we're living underground for now doesn't mean we have to stay in a filthy home."

* * *

Hange collapsed on the pallet that she and Levi had set up in the little bedroom, worn out from all the cleaning. Damn, the captain was such a perfectionist. She'd had to dust the same windowsill three times before he was satisfied. She wasn't used to being included in the cleanup crew, and this was her first real taste of what a taskmaster he could be.

"You," she muttered to him as he joined her in the room and closed the door behind himself, "are a sadist. I don't care how cute you look wearing those handkerchiefs."

"Why, because I refuse to be surrounded by filth?" He untied the scarves covering his head and mouth, and he set down the bucket, soap and towel he'd brought in with him. He removed his harness straps and he pulled his shirt off, draping it over his trunk of personal belongings that he'd brought in from the living room.

"Because you take cleaning more seriously than anyone I've ever met," griped Hange, rolling over onto her back to gaze up at him. She let her eyes rove over his bared chest and stomach, and she smirked in appreciation of the view.

"You're obsessed with researching titans," Levi reminded her with a shrug. He took his shoes off and stripped out of his pants. "We all have our vices."

"What's the bucket for?" she asked with a nod at it. "Are you going to make me clean the ceiling, next?"

Levi pulled his underwear off and dropped it with his other discarded garments. He shook his head and he picked up the towel he'd brought into the room with him. "No, it's for a sponge bath. With this many of us living in the same place, we'll have to improvise a bit to save water."

She blinked at him as he dropped the towel on the floor and retrieved the sponge from the bucket of water. He picked up the soap that he'd also brought in with him. "You're limiting your baths, Levi? _You_?"

He nodded. "You sound so surprised. It wouldn't be the first time I've improvised when clean water was limited, four-eyes. I've done this before while out on expeditions, too." He glanced up from his task of lathering up his chest, and he jerked his chin at her. "Now get undressed and come here so I can take care of you, too. You worked up a sweat tonight."

Hange smirked and she sat up with a grunt. "I won't say no to a bit of pampering after what you put me through, today."

He dipped the sponge into the water again to rinse it off, and he started sponging off the lather on his torso. "You'd think I was cracking a whip at you, the way you're bitching about it."

Hange stood up and started stripping as requested, and she raised her brows at the frown Levi gave her when she dropped her clothes on the floor. "What? Oh, fine."

Grumbling, she picked the garments back up and she followed his example, dropping them on her trunk. "Neat freak."

"Slob," he countered. "Get my back for me, would you?"

She obligingly approached him and when he just stood there staring at her, she chuckled. "Aren't you going to turn around, or are you going to keep eyeing me?" A glance down confirmed that he was rapidly losing his train of thought. "Shall I get Levi Junior too, my dear?"

He looked down at the lifting evidence of his arousal and he handed her the soap and the sponge. "Knock yourself out."

Hange obliged him, grinning like a fiend as she washed him down there with much more thoroughness than she'd used earlier when cleaning. Levi was breathing heavily by the time she finished with that and circled around behind him to get his back and ass. "Cute little butt," she remarked after finishing. She gave it a pat and she started on his legs, circling back around before him and squatting down. The captain stared down at her and there was something in his expression that gave her pause.

"Is something wrong, Levi? Don't tell me I'm not scrubbing you enough..."

He shook his head. "No, it's fine." He reached out with damp fingers and he pulled her glasses off carefully. He set them on his nearby trunk and he gazed down at her again with that peculiar, thoughtful expression.

"Am I going to have to play a guessing game?" Hange prompted. She took care of his feet and toes next. Levi braced one hand on her shoulder as he lifted each foot for her, one at a time.

"I don't know how to say it," he muttered.

She got to her feet and she smiled encouragingly at him, handing over the soap and sponge. "I'm pretty?"

"That's not what I was going to say, but sure. Yes, you're pretty."

Hange slipped her arms around his neck and she kissed him softly. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that, but I really want to know what you were really thinking. Come on, don't be bashful. What's on your mind, handsome?"

He sighed and he glanced away. "Nobody's ever bathed me before, you know."

"Not even your mother?" Hange kept her arms around him as he started returning the favor. She closed her eyes and she sighed as the soapy sponge glided over her chest in smooth, circular motions.

"Well yes," he revised with a shrug. "Obviously she did it when I was little. I meant since then. Shit, just ignore me. It's stupid."

Knowing how important hygiene was to him, Hange didn't think so. His admittance was Levi's way of thanking her, she realized. Hange opened her eyes back up and she smiled at him. She'd dressed his wounds more than once, but bathing was obviously on a different level with him. "I'm happy to do it whenever you like, Levi."

* * *

"Commander Erwin?"

He looked up from his bunk in his cell at the sound of her voice, and his pensive expression softened at the sight of her. "Marie. What are you doing here?"

He'd been in this place for a full day now, along with a shocking number of his men and women. Hitch and Marlo were included in those numbers but thus far, Levi and the others hadn't been brought in to his knowledge.

"I pulled some strings to come and see you," she answered. Her hands clutched at the bars as she gazed in at him. "Erwin, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that Nile told them you were coming. I wish I knew what he was thinking."

Erwin got to his feet and he approached her, gazing into her eyes from the other side of the cell. "You aren't to blame for that, Marie."

He wished that he could tell her what was going on in the background, if for no other reason than to ease her disappointment with Nile. The one thing that hadn't gone according to plan was that he didn't get the opportunity to send word back to the others at the keep. It was better that she not know those hidden details, though. "Everything is going to be all right."

"How can you _say_ that?" she demanded with a frown. "You're in prison again and my husband _put_ you here."

Erwin smiled slightly. "I'm getting used to being in prison."

Marie sighed. "This is a fine time to be making jests. I came because I wanted to inform you of something." She leaned closer to him and she spoke in a whisper, pale blue eyes staring up at him conspiringly. "The captain and the others got away. You can at least take comfort in that."

Erwin was sufficiently surprised. "You're sure of this?" His messenger never arrived in time for him to instruct him. In fact, the man was in prison along with him and the others.

Marie nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I...took it upon myself to warn them after they took you away. I don't know where they went, but Nile confirmed that they were gone when the Military Police arrived at the keep to arrest them. There's a man-hunt going on for them now, but so far they've turned up no leads."

Erwin considered the possibilities. He had a suspicion of where they'd gone, if he knew Levi as well as he thought he did. He kept that to himself, though. They were free, for now. That meant Eren would be safe for as long as they remained hidden, and that was his primary concern. He reached out with his remaining hand to touch Marie's face through the bars.

"I can't thank you enough," he murmured. "You didn't tell Nile, did you?"

While his old training mate had gone along with the commander's plan for himself, he hadn't mentioned anything about Levi or the others when he visited his cell last evening.

Marie shook her head and she closed her eyes as if reveling in his touch. "No. I didn't dare trust him after how he turned on you."

Erwin dropped his hand and he lowered his bright eyes. "Nile had his reasons, Marie. You need to forgive him."

She shook her head and she reached up to run her fingers through his blond locks. "I don't believe his reasons are good enough. You came in good faith to us, and he took advantage."

Erwin stared at her. While Marie was resourceful as ever, she simply didn't have the full picture—and it was going to have to remain that way, for now. Old feelings welled to the surface and the commander sighed with lingering regret for letting this woman get away. "He's a very lucky man, you know."

She smiled a little sadly at him. "After this, his luck is going to run out. I'm going to do what I can to help free you and your men, and then I'm going to leave him."

"Maria," whispered Erwin, shaking his head. She was too close and he thought that if it weren't for the bars between them, he might have tried to kiss her. He stepped back before the temptation to do it anyway got to him. "He loves you. Regardless of his actions against me, that much is the truth. Sometimes soldiers have to do questionable things in the name of duty."

He glanced down at the stump of his missing arm. "I lost this arm luring a pack of titans directly into my own ranks for the sake of rescuing one soldier. Whatever Nile's faults are, he's not responsible for the number of deaths I am. Please consider that, before you give up on him. You should go now. This is no place for you to be."

She sighed again. "I won't let this happen to you, if I can do anything about it. I'll try to go to the queen if I have to. She was once one of you, wasn't she?"

"Historia has her hands full as it is, and we both know this is a military matter," Erwin reminded her. "She has the authority to pardon me, but not my entire squad. If she attempts to do so, it's going to cause dissention in her court and I won't abandon my men."

Marie looked dismayed. "Then I'll look for another way. These allegations against you—"

"—are mostly true," he finished for her, "somewhat sensationalized, but true enough. I've been through this before, as you recall. Right now the best hope for the Scouts is in exposing the motivations of our accusers for what they really are: a veiled attempt to cut funding and save money. We've already been absolved of these crimes once, and the fact that they're attempting this a second time is what's going to work in our favor."

"I really hope you're right." She reluctantly turned to go. "I wish you the best of luck, Erwin."

* * *

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had to rush this upload because I've got to get back to work and my proofreading was a bit hasty. I'll read back over it when I come home tonight and correct any errors I missed. Sorry for the delay in the update!

He kept to the shadows in the alley, waiting for a familiar woman to show up. Further in the alleyway behind him were two of his companions: Hange and Mikasa. They were there only to keep watch and back him up if any authority figured showed up. Levi would have preferred to go alone, because it was much easier to stay discreet and move about quickly alone. Hange insisted on coming along with one of their young charges, however. They both agreed that Mikasa was the best choice due to her superior combat skills.

"Come on, Marie," whispered Levi.

Over his shirt and slacks, he wore a buttoned up black jacket that covered him to the thighs. He'd considered wearing the black cloak he'd brought, but that might draw more attention to him even as the hood offered greater concealment. People might wonder what he had to hide if they saw him draped that way, and Levi's goal was to avoid suspicion. They'd chosen an area not far from the secret entrance to the underground that he and his companions had used.

So far, they'd been in hiding for two weeks. Levi and his allies had discovered some interesting things regarding Adam French and his co-conspirators, and he thought that if they pulled the right strings, they could use that information against them, get full pardon for Erwin and the incarcerated scouts, and send French and those working with him to prison. That was where the majority of the merchant guild was right now anyway, but some of them managed to weasel their way out of punishment. French and his cohorts were amongst them, and this was just proof that what happened to their compatriots still wasn't enough to quench the fires of their vindictiveness.

Levi glanced over his shoulder, and he could see the gleam of Hange's thick glasses reflecting the dim streetlight up ahead. He pointed at her and he made a gesture at his own face, close to his eyes. Her face screwed up in confusion for a moment, until Levi curled both pointer fingers to touch his thumbs so that they formed a circle and he held them over his own eyes. She gave a start and she tapped her glasses, tilting her head inquisitively. He nodded.

"Take them off," he mouthed, "They're reflecting the light and they'll give you away."

He could practically hear her sigh as her shoulders heaved, but she complied. Levi looked away with a tiny smirk, giving a subtle shake of his head. An un-accustomed feeling of warmth for the scientist stole over him. The glasses didn't even bother him much anymore, and he knew Hange couldn't see shit without them. Still, they couldn't afford for her and Mikasa to get spotted in case of an ambush. If anyone followed Marie here—provided she even made it as planned—they needed an element of surprise of their own.

Levi tensed when he spotted a rather plain carriage stop outside the pub across the alleyway, and he waited, still and silent as a stalking cat. A woman stepped out, and at first he could not make out her features due to the scarf she wore over her hair and the fact that her back was turned to her. She spoke to the driver and he nodded, before clicking at his horse and prompting it to pull the carriage away. The woman entered the pub hesitantly, pausing at the doorway to glance around with a subtly troubled expression on her face.

It was her. It was Marie. Levi relaxed a bit, and he turned to signal to his companions, giving them silent confirmation that he'd sighted her and was going in. He couldn't see their response within the shadows, but he trusted them to follow the directive and remain hidden until circumstances deemed otherwise.

* * *

"Well aren't you a pretty thing," observed a lanky, unkempt patron around the age of thirty when he saw the woman speak quietly to the barkeep and take a seat at one of the tables he directed her to. He helped himself to the seat beside her and he grinned sloppily at her, his untended, dark beard growth wiry and unattractive around his thin lips and narrow jaw. His hair was unwashed and it hung to his collar in dark waves. He reached out to lay a hand over her gloved one, and he squeezed it when she tried to delicately pull away. His blue eyes were glossy from the drink, and they seemed to have trouble focusing on her.

"Aw, don't be like that! You look fancy, but if you're in a place like this, you must be lookin' for some company, eh? Haven't seen many girls with color in their cheeks like yours, down here. What's say I buy a drink for you, sweetheart, and then you can name your price? "

"'What's say' you don't," interrupted a quiet, firm voice before the woman could respond.

Both of them looked up—but not very far—to find a youthful looking man with pale skin and hooded eyes staring coldly.

"Mind your own business, chump," warned the scruffy individual. He struck what he must have believed to be an important pose, and he thumped his chest. "Know who I am? I'm the thug that runs this part of the underground! Kurge Shathas!"

"Why bother asking me if I know who you are, if you're just going to announce it and pound your chest like a troglodyte a moment later?" The newcomer's steely, emotionless gaze didn't waver, and he made a low sound of derision beneath his breath. "Idiot."

In fact, his name didn't even sound like a name, to Levi's ears. The captain shrugged. No matter. He could tell this guy was going to be trouble, whether he tried to keep the peace or not. "I'd suggest you leave, before someone gets hurt."

"Someone meaning _you_ , pipsqueak!"

Levi nearly sighed. Couldn't he have just _one_ experience at a tavern without getting into a scrap? Evidently not. He dodged the bigger man's left hook easily, and by the way that fist swished through the air, he was sure it would have knocked him out if it had connected. Levi retaliated with a hard punch to the other man's solar plexus, and as soon as Kurge doubled over and gasped for breath, the captain grabbed him by both ears and slammed his head into his knee.

Kurge Shathas went down like a felled ox, without ever having delivered one blow. Levi casually offered his hand to Marie and he helped her step over his fallen opponent when she took it gratefully and got up. "Lets find another table, shall we?"

"I agree."

People stared and a hush fell over the tavern as the pair of them changed location to a quieter, more intimate table near the back. Levi pulled Marie's chair out for her and he waited until she took the invitation before seating himself.

"I have evidence against French, his company and a lot of their associates that needs to make it into the right hands," Levi explained in a low voice, once he was sure there was nobody close by enough to hear him. He reached into his jacket and he retrieved a set of rolled up documents, handing them to her. "You have the right connections, don't you?"

"I certainly do, Levi." Marie took the documents and she tucked them away.

There was something in her eyes that gave him pause. It looked like guilt. Levi tilted his head to the side as she bit her lip anxiously and looked toward the door. "What is it, Marie? Is there something going on that I need to know about?"

She sighed and she leaned over the table to speak to him in a low, urgent voice. "I'm sorry, Levi. Did you come alone?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, and he almost said that of course he didn't; he wasn't an idiot. Then it occurred to him what might be about to happen, and he changed his mind. "Yes. I came alone."

"Then the kids and Hange are safe," she reasoned, sounding relieved.

"They are."

_~Though not for long, by the looks of it. Shit, I've got no way to signal Hange and Mikasa without giving them away.~_

And knowing the two of them, they weren't likely to stay out of it if they saw trouble starting. "What's going on?" demanded Levi coldly. "Don't tell me you've turned on us, too."

"No, I'm still on your side," she insisted. She bit her lip again and she looked around nervously. "Please believe that, Levi. This isn't what you think it is. Erwin organized it and he instructed me to relay this order to you: Let them take you, but make it look good. I wish I could give you more than that, but even _I'm_ not sure what Erwin and Nile have up their sleeves. All I know is that the commander stressed to me that it's important for you to get captured and face trial with the rest of them. The authorities have been talking about demanding your surrender in exchange for Erwin's life, but they don't actually have the power to execute him...yet. They believe you know that and wouldn't fall for it, so Nile suggested they lure you, instead."

"And you're the bait," he guessed, compressing his lips grimly.

She lowered her gaze in shame. "Yes." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Niles told them that he found out I'd been in contact with you, keeping you informed of what's going on. He swore to me that it wasn't to betray either of us, that he and Erwin had a plan. I confirmed it with the commander before I would agree to my part in this deception."

Levi leaned back in his chair and he mused it over. "So it's more of a ruse against them than against us, is it? What about those documents I just gave you? Are you going to give those up to them?"

"Absolutely not," she assured vehemently, "and they wouldn't dare lay hands on me to search me. I'm going to tell them that I told you what's been going on with the case against the Survey Corps and I kept you here until they arrived to take you into custody; just as they asked. Please trust me, Levi. Even if you don't, trust Erwin. He'll confirm it once you see him."

Levi clenched his jaw. He could be out of here and gone before the authorities arrived, but if this was some play by Erwin after all, he could be spoiling their chances by escaping. "How long do I have, Marie? Long enough to take a shit?"

She blinked, and then she flushed. "I...I suppose so," she stammered.

"Good." Levi got out of his chair and he turned to go to the men's bathroom. "Don't worry; I'm not running away."

* * *

"I see a flash," Mikasa announced. "It's coming from that small window in the back of the tavern."

Hange squinted. "Are you sure? It's probably nothing." She put her glasses on so that she could see better and indeed, there was something reflecting the light of the nearby streetlamp. Upon staring at it for a moment, Hange realized it was flashing in a steady pattern.

"Levi," breathed the scientist. "Stay here, Mikasa. I'll go and see what's going on."

The girl nodded and saluted while Hange took to the air in her gear and came down for a landing beneath the tavern's bathroom window. She saw her lover peeking out of it, and she guessed he must be standing on a toilet to reach its height.

"What's going on, my dear? Is there trouble?" whispered Hange.

"Yes," answered the captain. "Take Mikasa and get out of here. Stay out of sight for a few days, even in the block our safe house is located. Do _not_ intervene with what's about to happen, under any circumstance."

Hange's eyes rounded. "Levi, what—"

She heard the hiss of several ODM wires, then. They were coming from the street. "Shit, the Military Police are coming! Get out of there, Levi!"

"No, listen to me," snapped the captain. "Erwin has some kind of plan—at least, we can hope. You and Mikasa get back to the safe house, as I told you."

"What in the hell kind of plan involves you getting arrested and thrown in jail with the rest of our comrades?" Hange demanded, planting her hands on her hips. "I think someone's giving you misinformation, grumpy."

"The commander trusts Marie, and therefore I do," insisted Levi in a gruff voice. "Don't fucking argue with me and end up getting yourself caught too, shitty glasses. Someone's got to lead those kids until this is over."

"And you think _I'm_ the one to do it?" Hange blinked at him, her red-brown eyes openly surprised.

"Think of it as practice," grunted Levi. He glanced over his shoulder as the MP's went into the building. "Look, they're here. Get your ass out of sight and back to the safe house."

She was a bit stunned by the first part of his sentence, but she shook herself out of it. "Damn it, Levi...your intuition better be right. Bad enough my commander and friends are in the slammer, but now my man's about to be as well! You boys are going to make me go gray prematurely, you know!"

"Then dye your fucking hair. Get moving, Hange."

She sighed, and she lightly pressed the trigger on her gear—still attached to the roof. She let it carry her up just high enough to put her head level with the window, and she reached in to cup Levi by the back of the head.

"Not before I give you a kiss for luck, handsome."

Hange crushed her mouth against the captain's through the narrow window, having to tilt her head to the side to reach his lips through the frame. He went still for a second, and then he returned the kiss fervently. When she broke away, she cupped Levi's face in her hands and gazed into his eyes.

"Please be careful, my dear...and don't make this arrest too easy on them. Give them hell for your 'shitty glasses', won't you?"

"I was planning to give them hell anyway," answered Levi with a bare smirk, "but I'll give them a few extra kicks for you. Now get out of here. I can hear them in there looking for me."

With one last sigh if discontent, Hange obeyed. She blew Levi a kiss, and she reluctantly ascended back to the rooftops to rejoin Mikasa and explain what was happening.

* * *

Levi did just as he was told, both by Erwin and by Hange. He came bursting out of the bathroom while the MP's were still questioning people, and he jump-kicked the first one he saw in the back of the head. The hapless MP went crashing into a table, right between a couple of men that were playing cards. They yelled in protest, and as Levi dropped and rolled to launch another MP attempting to tackle him backwards into the wall, someone's beer got spilled. The captain nearly smirked as a full-fledged barroom brawl broke out, making it even more difficult for the enemy soldiers to focus on subduing Levi. He saw Marie getting ushered out of the tavern by none other than her husband, and he was at least thankful that she wasn't getting caught up in it where she could get hurt.

"Captain Ackerman, you are hereby under arrest by the authority of—" Levi's fist struck the speaker hard in the jaw before he could finish his statement, and when the blond MP fell back against one of the few patrons that wasn't involved in the brawl and made him spill his drink, he got shoved away with a bellow of anger. Levi danced aside as the MP stumbled and fell to the floor.

"Clumsy asshole," taunted the captain.

He dodged an attempted punch aimed at him, but he didn't see the other MP he'd jumped towards due to two male patrons being in the way. He felt a dull pain in his ribs as a fist slammed into them from the left, and he gasped. Levi tucked and rolled away as the assailant tried to follow up, coming to a stop on his back. He saw the culprit coming for him with an angry scowl twisting his lips between his dark beard and mustache. Levi bent his legs and he kicked out at the brunet MP with both feet as the man tried to dive on him. The startled, choked yell he emitted as a result was rather comical, but it was cut off abruptly as he crashed against one of his fellow soldiers.

Levi's amusement was short-lived. He sensed someone coming at him from above and behind his head, and he remembered that he was supposed to _allow_ himself to get caught. He chose to ignore the threat, and he immediately regretted that decision when a rough, big hand grabbed the hair on the crown of his head to yank it back. Levi grunted as his throat was exposed and he felt the cold barrel of a rifle pressing against the underside of his chin. He glared up, his eyes tearing up with the merciless hold on his hair. The blond with the ponytail that he'd interrupted when the man had tried to formally issue the arrest. Cold green eyes narrowed down at him from the length of the firearm, and Levi noticed that he had the badge of an officer on his jacket.

"As I was saying," stated the blond calmly, "you are hereby under arrest for recklessly endangering the citizens of these walls, the fraudulent misuse of funds provided to your regiment—"

"Wait...did you just accuse us of fucking _fraud_?" Levi blurted it before he could stop himself. That was a new one. "Every bit of coin the scouts have gotten has gone to—"

The man holding the rifle reversed the firearm swiftly and hit Levi in the jaw with the butt of it, silencing him immediately. The captain felt blood fill his mouth as he bit his tongue from the blow, and he glared as best he could, his head still held still by the man with the grip on his hair.

"As I was saying," continued the blond, again aiming the barrel of the musket rifle at him, "the charges against you and your regiment are numerous and severe, Captain Ackerman. In fact, I doubt I should even still refer to you as 'captain'. I would advise you to stop resisting and come along peacefully. If any of your fellow fugitives attempt to interfere, you will be the first to die."

Levi smirked painfully, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Big words." His speech came out sounding thick, due to the numbness now replacing the pain in his tongue and the swelling that came with it. "I'd bet you don't have permission to bring me in dead, though."

"Only should the situation demand it," agreed the MP officer with a nod, "though they said nothing about whether you should be conscious or not."

Levi braced himself as the butt of the rifle came down again, but he could do nothing as it slammed against the side of his head. He saw stars and he heard a rushing sound, and then everything went black.

* * *

Hange bit her hand as she and Mikasa watched from their hunkered-down positions on a rooftop just a few buildings down. Levi was evidently unconscious. He was being dragged between two military police under the arms, with his hands cuffed behind his back. His head hung down limply and his booted feet scraped the dirty street as they carried him to a wagon that had pulled up shortly after their arrival.

"We should follow them," suggested Mikasa with a scowl as the captain was loaded into the wagon.

"No. Don't be stupid, girl." Hange actually surprised herself with the tone of her own voice. She usually wasn't the authoritative sort, but Levi's comment about someone needing to lead these kids had stuck with her. "We have our orders, and we're going to follow them. This was his choice and I'm going to trust his judgment. What we need to worry about the most right now is keeping Eren from being captured and keep working on the external. Levi and Erwin will work internally."

Mikasa shot her a knowing glance as Hange bit her lip upon watching her lover get carted away.

"It must be a difficult burden for you, Captain Hange."

The scientist sighed, and she dragged her fingers through her perpetually mussed brown hair. She smirked dryly at the younger woman. "With age comes added responsibility, my dear. If I were around your age, I'd no doubt be trying to break Levi free as we speak. I'm sure you would do so if it were Eren."

Mikasa nodded grimly, her mouth setting into a firm line. "Of course. Captain Levi and Commander Erwin always seem to have a plan in motion, however. I only hope this won't be a mistake."

As Mikasa started off, Hange took pause to look back at the wagon they'd loaded the captain into. An unhappy frown manifested on her lips at the thought of Levi in chains. It was an affront to her. It had taken him years to earn a measure of freedom after being taken from the Underground to serve in the Survey Corps, and now he was once again tethered. He was beautiful to her, in his predatory grace and wildness. He only remained in the scouts because he chose to; that much had become clear to both her and Erwin years ago. Levi could have left at any time he chose.

Hange's frown turned into a little smirk, at that reminder. Yes, nobody could hold Levi forever. He'd allowed himself to be captured out of choice, and out of loyalty. She had to have faith that if it proved to be a scam and he deemed it no longer worth being their prisoner, he would find a way to escape and come back to her and the others. She had to believe that Erwin had a plan and that it would turn out all right.

* * *

Erwin saw Levi being dragged into the dungeon, and while his face remained calm and impassive, inwardly he was dismayed to see him rendered unconscious and limp. Blood dripped from the captain's mouth, and he didn't react at all when the guards all but tossed him into the cell beside Erwin's.

"We left it vacant just for you, 'humanity's strongest'," informed the taller of the two handlers mockingly.

The MP leaned over the small, dark-haired scout, who was sprawled on the narrow sleeping bunk, unmoving. He slapped his face and Levi's head whipped to the side, facing Erwin. Levi's black hair fell over one eye, and an angry splotch of red shaped like a hand began to form on his pale cheek from the blow. The commander's fingers twitched over his knee just briefly in response to the rough treatment, but otherwise he showed no reaction. The other imprisoned scout officers in the cellblock protested loudly, however. Levi's tormentor paid them no heed.

"Hear me, runt? Hmph. You aren't so impressive. There isn't much to you at all, when it comes down to it."

The man slapped Levi again, and he made a disgusted noise when he still got no reaction from the prisoner.

"That's enough, Lieutenant Hawke," said Erwin sternly at last, rising to his feet. "I know for a fact that your orders are to treat us well—as much as such a thing can be expected in these circumstances. I can't imagine your superiors reacting well to the news that you beat on a helpless, unconscious prisoner. Let alone one that outranks you in the military hierarchy."

Hawke glared at the tall blond commander, but he did back off. "He's not likely to have his rank for long. Neither are you, for that matter."

Erwin nodded calmly. "That is a possibility. Regardless, we are ranked prisoners for now, and you would do well to remember that."

Lt. Hawke grumbled beneath his breath, and he glanced at the other MP that had accompanied him. Unlike Hawke, the young MP with him seemed starkly uncomfortable with the situation. His brown gaze on Levi was admiring and faintly regretful, and Erwin noticed that he wore his brown hair in an undercut similar to the scout captain's. Evidently, he was somewhat of a fan.

"Let's get the bastard chained up," grunted Hawke. "They say he's too dangerous not to, even behind bars. I'm not buying it, but orders are orders."

"Yes sir," answered the younger MP obediently. His reluctance could be detected in his tone, but he didn't argue with his superior. Erwin guessed that he was a fairly new recruit to the Military Police.

They shackled Levi's ankles and wrists, the chains connecting to a solid pair of rings in the wall. At least the restraints would allow Levi to move about his own cell and eat whatever meager rations they chose to give him. Strangely, they expressed more dislike of the captain than they did for Erwin, and he could only presume it was due to jealousy over Levi's prowess on the field. Erwin Smith was really just a wounded soldier now; a cripple. They believed him to be less of a threat than his right-hand man. Erwin almost smirked. His tactical mind was what made him dangerous, not his fighting abilities. It was, however, to his advantage that these people seemed to have forgotten that fact.

Once the MP escorts left the cellblock and the door leading out of the dungeon slammed shut, Levi finally showed some sign of life.

"Shit-eating lapdogs," muttered the captain.

Erwin walked over to the bars separating him from his captain. "Levi? Were you conscious the entire time?"

Without opening his eyes, the smaller man nodded briefly. "I came too when they were pulling me out of the cart. Figured it was better to play dead. What they don't know is going to hurt them."

Erwin clutched the bars with his remaining hand. "Did you hear them discuss anything of import while they were transferring you to this dungeon?"

Levi cracked an eye open to look up at Erwin, and he reached up slowly with one hand to wipe at the blood drying on his lips. His chains clinked dismally with the motion, and he got into a sitting position on his bunk with a slight groan. "They were speculating on where the others might be—especially Hange, Eren and Mikasa. Seems they want Eren in their custody again. Big surprise."

"I've suspected that getting Eren back into their hands was one of their motivations for this coup d'état all along. That, and to wrest control of the monarchy from the Scouting Legion. It leads me to wonder what Historia has been doing all this time, but from what information Nile has been able to get for me so far, she's safe and doing what she can to keep all of us off the execution scaffolds. I suspect her intervention is the only thing that's kept us alive and decently treated, so far."

Levi propped his back against the wall and he curled his legs up, his chains rattling again with the action. "A personal visit from her confirming that would be nice."

"You know as well as I that she can't do that," chided Erwin. "Right now her public support depends heavily on how she conducts herself as a monarch, and being seen coming to a dungeon to visit alleged traitors would put her in a great deal of danger."

"So what's your plan, then?" Levi tilted his head and he poured himself some water from the tin pitcher they'd left on his worn little table near his bunk. He drank from the tin cup and he grimaced at the flavor of his own blood, but seeing nothing to spit into, he chose to swallow rather than spit like a disgusting slob. "I assume you wanted me here for some reason? Or was that bullshit on Marie's part?"

"She told you truthfully," assured the commander with a nod, "and Commander Dok was the one to arrange for you to get a holding cell next to mine so that we can speak."

Here was the delicate part. Erwin knew that their captors had someone listening in. They weren't foolish enough to leave the leaders of the scouts within speaking distance of one another without someone monitoring what they had to say to one another. So far, they'd said nothing that would incriminate Nile or Marie. The Military Police already knew that Nile—while following orders—was doing his best to see that the scouts were treated fairly. As far as they knew, however, he'd arranged for Erwin and Levi to be next to each other in the hopes that one or both of them would slip and give away the location of their remaining comrades and the shifter they were after.

Erwin walked over to his bunk, and he retrieved a notepad and pen that had been concealed beneath it. He sat down, put the pad in his lap and wrote into it, and then he approached the bars separating his and Levi's cells to offer both pen and notepad to the captain. With a puzzled frown, Levi got up and hobbled over to get it. He read the commander's flowing script and he looked up at him with a frown, quirking a dark brow. He scribbled something onto the paper and he handed the items back to Erwin.

_"Makes a crazy kind of sense, I guess. What about Hange? She's a commanding officer too. Don't tell me you want her involved in this."_

Erwin shook his head and went back to his bunk to brace the pad in his lap again. He turned the page to write more. _"Hange and the kids will have a different part in this, depending on how things go at our trial in one month. A message should already be on its way to her explaining everything."_

Erwin paused, and he wrote down the basic details of what he would want Hange to do, should the situation come to it. He handed the pen and pad back to Levi and he wasn't surprised to see those sleepy gray eyes widen a little. Levi looked up at him with furrowed brows.

"You are one crazy son of a bitch, do you know that?" The captain didn't even bother writing that part down. He handed the pad and pen back to the commander, having nothing more to say on the matter privately.

"I never tire of hearing that accusation from you," replied Erwin pleasantly, reclaiming the writing materials from his companion.

"You never told me about that last part," accused Levi.

"And how would you have reacted?" Erwin gazed at him levelly. "I know how you feel about it. I couldn't risk it."

The captain's eyes narrowed on a glare.

"Are you going to work with me on this, Levi?" pressed Erwin, "or are you going to go against me for the sake of personal vengeance? Remember, your men's lives could depend on this. It isn't just about you."

For a moment, that small body seemed to turn to stone. Erwin could see the battle raging inside Levi, like storms thundering behind his pale gray eyes. Finally, Levi breathed a low sigh and he slumped a little, looking weary in a way that made the commander wish he could reach out to him and comfort him. Levi was, after all, the closest and most trusted friend he had—along with Hange. He was depending on their loyalty to him and to their cause to put aside their feelings and do what needed to be done.

"Fine," said Levi shortly, "but this insane idea of yours had better work."

"I happen to be in agreement with that sentiment," muttered Erwin. He then did something that had Levi and every other scout prisoner in visual range ogling him. He tore out the two pages of the notepad that he and Levi had written on, and he proceeded to put them in his mouth, chew them up and swallow them.

"Fuck, you could have just requested a crust of bread or something if you were hungry, Erwin."

The commander nearly laughed at Levi's comment. "It has nothing to do with hunger."

Levi then seemed to understand that he was destroying evidence of their conversation so that their captors couldn't read it and find out what was being plotted. He shook his head and he smirked. "Crazy creep."

* * *

"Newspaper, Miss Hange."

Hange forced a smile for Connie as she took the offering from him. It had been three days since Levi got arrested, and she had gotten back into the habit of biting her nails. She'd stopped doing that for a while after getting romantically involved with the captain, thinking she ought to try and practice at least _some_ ladylike behavior. Plus, she'd been loathe to ruin the lovely manicure she'd gotten, and she began wearing gloves more often when researching, cooking and cleaning to protect her nails. She'd even started rubbing olive oil into them to keep them strong and conditioned.

Now that all went to pot. Her nails were the last thing Hange gave a damn about. "And what stories do we have printed today, Connie? More news about crime and politics, I imagine."

Connie's wide eyes were excited and he shook his head. "No ma'am, there's an interview with Commander Smith on the front page!"

Hange yanked the paper the rest of the way out of the boy's hand and she blinked down at it. Sure enough, there was a grainy photo of Erwin on the front of it, and the headline read: _"Scout Commander Erwin Smith: 'This was a deliberately orchestrated setup by those who wish to see my branch disbanded and disgraced'."_

"Oh my..." Hange began to read in excitement, leaning forward in the rickety chair she sat upon. She couldn't help but search for any mention of Levi and how he was doing in the article. She scanned through it, unsurprised by Erwin's quotes throughout and having expected him to say those things. Then she reached a point in the article that caught her interest.

_"I asked the commander what he would say to his remaining comrades still at large, if he could speak to them. His response was that he would tell Squad Leader Hange to 'remember the 54th expedition and the issue Levi had with the bird'. I asked him if he could tell me what that meant, and he smiled handsomely at me and said it was simply an inside joke between friends that they sometimes reminisced over drinks at their favorite tavern in the Karanese district."_

Hange's brows hedged in puzzlement, and she looked up from the paper in her lap in thought. "The 54th expedition," she mused.

Sasha came and squatted down next to her, watching the older woman curiously. "What does that mean, Squad Commander?"

"Why would he mention that?" whispered Hange to herself, not immediately answering the huntress. "What does it have to do with any of this? Unless..."

She put aside the newspaper and got up, nearly running over Connie as she started to pace. The other teenagers approached and they watched curiously as Hange muttered under her breath and thought it out. Finally, she stopped, and she snapped her fingers and grinned with a realization.

"Erwin's trying to send a message to me through the media. _That's_ what that was about; I'm sure of it!"

"What kind of message?" Eren wanted to know.

Hange looked around at her companions, all but trapped in this tiny yet clean little flat they were hiding out in. "During the 54th expedition—before any of you joined the Scouts—we tried a new method of communication to relay more detailed information quickly through the ranks. We brought with us a half-dozen trained carrier pigeons. It seemed to be working out well, until one of the birds carrying a message to the command ranks from the spotters crapped on Levi's head on its way to bring a note to Erwin."

She laughed heartily at the memory, recalling vividly that sour, killing look on her tiny captain's face. "Ah, we thought Levi was going to kill and roast every last one of those birds. Erwin decided the method could use some improvement and put it on the shelf for later testing, after that."

"He's trying to send you a message," Armin announced.

"Yes dear, that's what I just figured out a moment ago. Pay attention."

Armin shook his head. "No, I mean a message _within_ a message. He was reminding you of the carrier birds and he mentioned your favorite tavern. Couldn't that mean that he has a more detailed message to send you, via carrier bird?"

"Oh my god, you're right!" Hange clapped her hands, and then she ruffled Armin's pale blond hair affectionately. "You sharp little bookworm! Of course! Kids, I'm taking a trip to the surface tonight. I'll be in the Karanese district, and I'm going alone. I don't want to risk any of you being seen and caught—especially you, Eren."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ma'am," interjected Mikasa. "You're the last commanding officer we have to guide us. If anything happens to you—"

"—Then you and Jean can take over command," insisted Hange. "I understand your misgivings, my dear, but this is too important for me to hesitate. Don't worry. I can handle myself. I'll be as quiet and discreet as a mouse. All I've got to do is get to the right rooftop and quietly wait for my messenger to come. If it doesn't arrive before the sun starts coming up, I'll have to assume something happened to it or we misinterpreted Erwin's message, and I'll come back. Deal?"

None of the teens looked particularly happy with the plan, but they didn't argue further with her.

* * *

Hange started to get the sinking feeling that she'd been wrong, or that as otherwise suggested, the alleged carrier bird got lost or injured or killed on the way. When the hour of three am approached, she considered turning back and giving up, when the flap of wings and the familiar coo of a pigeon caught her ear. She looked to the left to see a gray one with black markings land on the rooftop next to her, and it hopped over to her with a rolled up note on its foot. Hange retrieved the tiny scroll quickly, and she reached into her jacket pocket for some seed to reward the animal with.

"Thanks, my little friend," she whispered.

She wasted no time in deploying her gear and leaving. It wouldn't do for her to linger in this district for too long and risk getting spotted and recognized by any of the other military branches; even if the Garrison Brigade tried to stay neutral.

* * *

"He wants us to do _what_?" sputtered Eren after Hange returned to the safe house, woke them all up and read Erwin's note aloud to them all.

"Contact Bertolt and Reiner, and offer them Annie in exchange for another breach in Wall Maria," repeated Hange calmly. "Apparently they sent word to him a couple of months ago that they were back within the walls somewhere, and they would swear never to attack again if they could have Annie back. He refused, but he told them to keep themselves available in case he changed his mind for any reason. It seems the commander saw all of this coming. I have to admire the man's foresight and plotting, at least."

"He wants us to let the titans back into the walls?" Sasha was wide-eyed with disbelief. "It could start all over again!"

"No it won't," countered Hange, "not with the new safety protocols in place. Shiganshina is still in ruins and under construction. That's where the breach is going to happen, if we have to resort to it. There won't be any civilians save construction workers in the area, and they'll have time to clear out before the titans make it far enough in to threaten them. We'll be there waiting when it happens as well, to ensure no citizen casualties happen."

"B-but what's the _point_?" demanded Jean almost angrily. "Everything we've done is going to be for nothing if we just open the damned door and invite them back in ourselves!"

"They won't be able to get further than Shiganshina," Mikasa reasoned calmly. Her gaze settled on Hange. "That's why the commander chose that particular location, isn't it? That district is currently abandoned while repairs are made, and hearing that titans have breached the walls will remind everyone that the Survey Corps is the only military unit with the skills to handle titan encounters up close."

Hange nodded, a wild look coming into her eyes as she rubbed her hands together. "Oh yes, indeed. Just imagine the look on those arrogant faces when they find out the titans have breached the walls again, right as they're trying to disband the one military branch that can truly protect them!"

"Still seems like a pretty risky gamble to me," grumbled Eren. "Not just with the wall breach, but with letting Annie go. I can't believe the commander would actually do this!"

"I can," Armin said softly, eyes downcast. He took a seat on the couch. "Commander Erwin has always had the mindset of getting things done, no matter the cost. His plan isn't without risks, but in the end, it really does serve humanity better if it succeeds and turns the tide in the Scouting Legion's favor. We've seen that these walls aren't invulnerable. The same scenario could happen again at any time—and not under the planned direction of someone with good intentions. People need to remember that we can't always be prepared, and they need to remember that their best line of defense is in fact the Survey Corps."

"Well said, Armin," approved Hange with a nod. "Now, we have nearly a month to plan this. If Reiner and Bertolt are still within these walls, we can find them."

"How?" Connie asked, frustration plain in his voice.

"Well, considering that it's the only abandoned District at this time, my money's on Shiganshina." Hange shrugged. "We can use the underground systems to make our way there and search for them at night. Unfortunately, they didn't give Erwin an exact location when they sent word to him asking for Annie's freedom. Only the military and the monarchy are aware that the two of them are the Colossal titan and the Armored titan, so they would probably be avoiding the walls where the Brigade takes guard patrol. We should search the inner district for them...perhaps disguised as construction workers ourselves to avoid being recognized."

Eren sighed and he clutched at the key around his neck. "This is crazy. I really never wanted to set foot in that district again, after we found nothing in my family's basement."

Hange got up and she patted the young man comfortingly on the shoulder. "I understand how you feel, sweetheart. I wouldn't ask you to come with us, but we _are_ going to require your hardening ability to plug the breach in the wall when it's over. I wish there were another way, but if all else fails to convince the tribunal that the scouts must remain intact, this will be our only option. Cheer up, Eren! Erwin and Levi might convince them without having to resort to this plan, what with all the evidence they've gathered against our accusers!"

"But we'd still have to hand over Annie to Bertolt and Reiner, whether we have to use them or not," Jean pointed out unhappily. "She's getting off easy."

Hange frowned, thinking of how much that indisputable fact must be tearing Levi up inside. "Yes, it's unfair. I would love to make her pay for everything she's done, but part of the agreement is that the three of them are banished from the walls forever and will have to return to wherever the hell they came from. Erwin also wants to find out where Ymir is and whether or not she can be returned to us. It's a steep and complicated road we face, kids."

They all fell into thoughtful silence, until Sasha yawned.

"All right, we can talk about this more in the morning," Hange decided at last. "Everyone back to bed and get plenty of rest. Tomorrow night, we'll begin our 'hunt'."

* * *

-To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

Hange decided to take Erwin's example and employ the use of carrier pigeons to communicate more easily. They still had the ones they'd tried using in the past, roosting in the attic of the keep. The first task of the day—before the sun even began to rise—was to go there and retrieve them. Fortunately, there didn't appear to be any Military Police guarding the property. She reasoned that they presumed that none of them would dare return to the keep while knowing they were being searched for. It was also quite possible that Historia had something to do with it. Hange wished that she could speak to her and find out what, if anything, she had been doing about this mess. Unfortunately, there was simply no way to get into the heavily guarded capital to see the queen without a major risk of discovery and arrest.

Sasha had a way with animals, and she was largely responsible for gathering the birds up and placing them in cages. Hange was driving the carriage they'd procured for the task, and the others kept lookout for any signs of the approach of their rival military branch. Hange found both Levi and Sasha's horses in the stable area, to her amusement. How they'd managed to get out of the hands of the MP's and return "home" she could only guess, but she quickly fed them some grain, collected their tack and harness and tethered them to the wagon.

Shortly thereafter they were on their way to Shiganshina, with Connie riding up front beside Hange and the others riding in the back of the vehicle. Each of them were dressed in common work clothes; purchased from the thrift shop in the underground. Some didn't fit very well; particularly Hange's set because they had no pants available for her leg length. It wasn't important, though. She didn't give a shit if the hem of her pants were a little high over her work boots. The biggest challenge would be to avoid recognition and escape if any MP authorities came after them while they were searching for their targets.

"Now remember, kids," she called as she drove the wagon down the road leading away from the keep and towards the Shigonshina district, "keep your heads down, stay casual and don't forget to stash your gear if you can't reasonably conceal it. This is going to be a hell of a day for everyone, and we've got to be ready to jump into action the _minute_ we succeed in our objective and the colossal titan makes the breach."

"What if we can't find them?" Connie asked her, tugging the hood of his plain brown cloak a little lower as a light sprinkle began to fall from the sky.

"We will," muttered Hange determinedly. "Failure isn't an option. Erwin and Levi are counting on this diversion to set their case, and we aren't letting them down."

Connie blinked at her. "Yes Ma'am. Wow, you know, you almost sounded like the captain, just now."

"Oh God," replied Hange with a soft laugh. "Please don't relay that information to him when we complete this mission and win the day, my dear. If he thinks he's begun having an influence on me, he'll probably have me cleaning non-stop like the rest of you. I would never have time for my research!"

Connie laughed a little anxiously. "Right. Okay, I'll keep it to myself."

"Good boy." Hange focused her eyes forward on the road, and the majority of her thoughts were focused on Levi. It just figured that the shrimpy little grump managed to be such a distraction for her. She kept thinking of the way he'd hung limply in his captor's grasp, and her jaw clenched. She'd already memorized those men's faces, and if she ever got the chance, she intended to pay them back in the worst way for their treatment of her lover.

* * *

While Hange and her companions were out searching for Reiner and Bertolt, Levi and Erwin were preparing for their trial. Nile came to visit them with Marie, and he informed the commander that both he and his wife would be testifying on their behalf.

"I'm sorry it came to this, Erwin," sighed the MP commander. "While you and I have never really seen eye-to-eye, I still do have a world of respect for you. We're going to do all that we can to see that you and your men are treated fairly, whatever the outcome of this trial may be."

Erwin nodded calmly, and his vivid blue eyes flicked to Marie's coat when she covertly tugged a scroll tube out of it to show him and Levi that she did still have the evidence they'd spoken of. No sooner did she do that, than one of the high ranking officers of the Military Police came in to the cell block.

"Smith and Ackerman, your peers are awaiting you in the courtroom."

Marie quickly stuffed the scroll case back into her coat, and she gave her husband a wide-eyed look. "It wasn't scheduled until tomorrow!"

Nile turned to regard his fellow MP with a frown. "What's the meaning of this? These officers weren't due to be put on trial until tomorrow morning, as my wife has stated."

"I'm sorry sir, but they've moved the trial date," explained the other MP with a salute. "I don't know why; I was just sent to inform and retrieve. Commander Erwin, I'll require you to put these on."

The newcomer held up a pair of iron cuffs.

Erwin stared at the man as if he'd just told him a bad joke. Levi also stared at him for a moment, looked at the commander, and then looked back at the man with the cuffs. "Tell me you aren't serious. What in the fuck do you plan on cuffing his wrist to? The man has only one arm."

Erwin fought a moment of blatant hilarity over the MP's request and Levi's crass but very true statement. For a horrible moment, he feared he might crack up...but he reigned in his amusement and he cleared his throat as the man with the handcuffs flushed with embarrassed umbrage. "I presume you mean to cuff my wrist to my belt?"

After all, this wasn't going to be the first time Erwin got detained and put on trial, since losing his other arm. He almost felt sorry for the man who was to be his escort.

The young MP looked at him with a mildly grateful expression, and he nodded. "Yes sir. I apologize for any insult this causes you."

"Think nothing of it."

Erwin waved it away, still fighting an inner battle with laughter. Nile and Marie both simply looked appalled, while Levi's brows were furrowed in an incredulous expression that said he thought their captors were insane. Erwin stepped back as the MP opened his cell and joined him inside of it to cuff his wrist. The young man looked frankly humiliated, and Erwin wasn't sure if that was because of Levi pointing out the obvious or because he really didn't want to be on this escort assignment. He seemed polite enough and Erwin was getting the distinct impression that he didn't agree with the rivalry between their two branches.

Two more Military Police came in to enter Levi's cell and unlock his shackles from the wall. Levi didn't give them any resistance, but it was faintly amusing to see how cautiously they handled him as they guided him out of his cell. Commander Dok sighed softly, and taking his wife's arm in his, he followed as the two scout prisoners were escorted out of the cell block.

"Good luck, sirs," called Moblit as they passed by the cell he was sharing with three other scouts. "We're counting on you!"

"Don't remind me," muttered Levi. He gave one of his handlers a warning look when the man nudged him to keep him moving. "Do that again and I'll use these chains to twist your head off."

* * *

"Order! This court will have Order!"

Darius Zackly banged his gavel on the podium as an eruption of arguments broke out. Marie had come forward with her evidence against Adam French, and he and his fellow remaining members of the Merchant Guild started shouting in protest and denial immediately.

"Mrs. Dox, please come forward and show me this information," requested the Commander-in-Chief once the noise settled down.

Marie stood up from her seat beside her husband, cast Erwin a brief, hopeful look and she approached as requested. Zackly took the scroll case from her and he opened up the container to read over the enclosed documents. After a moment, he sighed quietly, and he looked around at the assembly with the expression of a man that had just about reached his limit of politics.

"Personally, ladies and gentlemen, I'm becoming convinced that these constant back-and-forth allegations are getting tiring. Commander Pixis; if you will?" He held up the papers and he looked at the bald man expectantly.

Pixis went to his side without a word, and he took the documents to leaf through them thoughtfully. Ever remaining firmly seated in the neutral, Pixis looked between the two men on trial for their regiment and the men representing the Merchant Guild.

"I believe that one of my favorite authors said it best: 'Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections.

Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral laws are written on the table of eternity.'"

"And with whom would you side, Pixis?" urged Darius. "As the spokesperson and leader of the Garrison Brigade, which of the presented evidence do you find most credible? You've known Commander Erwin and Captain Levi for some time. You're also quite familiar with many representatives here in the Merchant Guild. As it stands of now, it's one party's word against the other. We've both seen evidence against each side."

"Hmm." Pixis looked Erwin in the eye, and then he did the same to French. Noting the sweat starting to bead on the latter's forehead, he gave a subtle, crooked smile and then he turned his attention back to Zackly. "I'm not in a position to take sides, Commander-in-Chief, but if I were, I would say the Survey Corps has the more credible defense. We've already seen Commander Smith under trial, as well as his young soldier Jaeger. We've also witnessed the trials and sentences of several members of the Merchant guild. If the corruption has spread between their ranks and the ranks of the Military Police, one might assume this was a second deliberate attempt to unseat the Survey Corps and gain complete autonomy concerning matters of the state with the monarchy."

Pixis' smirk grew, and he glanced at Erwin again. "That is, if I were in the position to judge."

That provoked a string of further activity within the courtroom, and the air was filled with shouting. Levi sighed and he propped his manacled boots on the balustrade before him, crossing his ankles over one another. He looked utterly bored with the debating, but his sidelong glance at Erwin bespoke his thoughts to the other man.

_~Now we're operating on a wing and a prayer, you creep. I hope your judgment is right.~_

"Trust, Levi," muttered Erwin as the courtroom continued to erupt all around them. "Have trust in our allies."

Levi huffed a little, his thoughts going to Hange and the brats. Trust was really all they had left to go on, and as much as he'd come to trust in her, the kids and their abilities, he couldn't help but have his doubts about the plan that Erwin had concocted.

_~Shit, Hange. Watch your ass.~_

* * *

Jean was the one to actually find them...and he did not conduct himself the way he was instructed to. He spotted Bertolt first, looking up at the scaffolding of a building that the construction teams were working on. He scowled at him, and all of that old resentment came rushing back. Bertolt was wearing a hooded cloak as was Jean, and he didn't notice his presence until Jean came rushing at him and tackled him to the ground. True to his nature, the extremely tall young shifter broke into a sweat and stared up at his assailant's angered face in bafflement.

"You piece of fucking shit," growled Jean, and he started punching him.

"Jean, stop!"

Armin's cry didn't quite register with Jean. He was angry... _very_ angry. Just seeing the man that he considered one of the ultimate traitors again set him on fire with rage. He didn't feel Armin grab him from behind. He didn't notice when his elbow popped the smaller blond in the cheek in mid-swing. He just wanted to teach Bertolt a lesson and make him _feel_ it.

"Making demands," Jean snarled as he laid into Bertolt, "expecting us to just _give her up_ after all of you betrayed us and she killed my friend! Fuck you!"

Connie had meanwhile landed on the rooftop of a home overlooking the scene, and he winced at the sight of his comrade punching the hell out of the bewildered shifter. "Oh shit... _really_? Jean, calm the hell down!"

Connie came in for a landing, and he helped Armin to his feet. "Jean! Cut it out, man!"

"Lying, murdering shit-wad!" Jean kept at it.

"Jean, enough!" hollered Armin, shaking off the accidental hit with a wipe to his bloodied nose. "We have a specific purpose here, so stop thinking like an ape and use your head! Our commander and our captain are counting on us, and so is..."

He nearly said _"Eren"_ , but he stopped himself just in time, recalling the rivalry between of them. "So is humanity!"

His words finally reached Jean, and the enraged young man stopped hitting Bertolt. Jean sighed and he bowed his head, still straddling Bertolt's half-conscious form. "Damn. I'm sorry. I half-hoped someone else would find one of them."

Armin glanced at Connie, and the shaved-headed teen gave him a nod of encouragement. Armin approached Jean, and he squeezed his shoulder. "I know how you feel. I don't blame you, but we have a goal today and our superiors could be killed if we fail to do it. Come on, Jean."

Jean nodded, and he half-turned to allow Armin to help him off the young man he'd just practically pulverized in his anger.

* * *

Hange blinked when the carrier pigeon landed on the roof beside her, a note attached to its foot. Sharing a frown with Sasha, she retrieved the note and gave the bird a bit of feed for its trouble. Her eyes widened when she read the flowing handscript written on the note.

"They've found Bertolt," announced Hange in a clipped, eager tone. She began to smile. "They're waiting for me before they take him with them to the slum apartment he and Reiner have been hiding out in. _Excellent_! _Perfect_!"

Sasha cast an uncomfortable look at the sunrise. "That crier said the trial is starting now," she reminded. "Squad Leader, maybe we should send a message to Mikasa and get started as soon as possible?"

Hange smirked at the younger lady. It was quite clear that Sasha had no doubt in her mind that she could convince their prey to cooperate. "Absolutely, sweetheart. Why don't you take care of that now? Keep low, my dear. It seems the Garrison soldiers manning the walls have noticed us, yet for some reason, they haven't moved in. Let's not test our luck."

Sasha nodded with agreement, casting a brief but worried look at the walls. "Yes ma'am. I know we're on a time schedule."

* * *

"Eren, we don't have to go."

Mikasa's gaze—like Eren's—was fixated on the newly rebuilt rubble of their former home. He kept staring at it in a painfully thoughtful way, and then he shook his head and turned away. "Part of me can't even hate them for this," he mumbled. His nostalgic green eyes met Mikasa's. "Does that make me seem weak to you? They were kids, like us."

Mikasa shook her head, dark hair blowing in the breeze. She stepped closer to Eren, and she cupped his face. "Look at me," she demanded. When he did, she sighed a little and she stroked a brown lock of hair away from his forehead. "The fact that you even came back here _more_ than speaks for your character, Eren. I am _always_ going to be on your side, and come what may, I will _always_ defend you."

Eren's expression softened. He put his arms around her, and he smiled sadly. "You don't know how glad I am that you are still here with me, Mikasa."

Mikasa smiled back, and she impulsively touched the scarf draped around her neck that he'd given her years ago to warm her. "I am too, Eren."

He stared at her in an odd way for a moment, and then suddenly, he lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss. She gave a little start before putting her arms around his neck to encourage it further, lips parting in response to the pressure of his.

"Reiner," muttered Eren suddenly, his mouth animated against hers.

It took Mikasa a moment. She was utterly confused as to why in the world Eren would mumble _that name_ against her mouth...but then she realized that his eyes were open and he was glaring down at a human-sized figure below them on the street.

Mikasa sighed quietly. Yes, they had returned to this district to find the muscular blond man and his ridiculously tall companion, but this was the very first kiss she and Eren had shared that went beyond their childhood love for each other. She found it highly annoying, and she ignored Eren's uncomfortable wince when she drew her blades and prepared to take on her target.

"Let's take him."

* * *

"Wow, kids. I told you to catch him, not put him through a meat grinder."

Hange blinked at the sight of Bertolt after getting the message that they'd caught him, and she and Sasha went to rendezvous with them in the warehouse they'd agreed to meet up in. Bertolt was tied to a chair and his face was barely recognizable through the swelling and bruising riddling it.

Connie looked at Jean accusingly. "That was all _him_ , ma'am. I tried to stop him but Jean flew into a rage when he saw Bertolt."

Hange clucked her tongue chidingly, and she bent over to begin assessment of the damage. At least as a shifter, Bertolt should recover quickly. "Well, there's no help for it now." She wiped the blood off of his mouth and nose with a handkerchief. "Are all of your senses intact, young man? Can you understand me, or did Jean knock your brain too loose?"

"I...understand you, Squad Leader."

She nodded. "Good, then. Let's discuss Annie. I have permission from Commander Erwin to make an arrangement with you and your—"

She didn't get to finish the sentence before the door banged open. Hange looked up to see Eren and Mikasa manhandling Reiner Braun. He wasn't in as bad of shape as Bertolt, but his left eye was swelling shut. Eren shoved the big blond and Reiner—hands bound behind his back—fell sprawling to the floor. He rolled over and he looked between his captors and Bertolt.

"So I guess you plan on killing us," reasoned the blond shifter.

Hange shook her head. "Wrong. As I was getting ready to tell 'tall and bruised' here, we're prepared to make a deal with the two of you. Your assistance in exchange for Annie Leonhart."

"Our assistance with what?" Bertolt looked hopeful, yet wary. "And how would you give Annie to us, with the scouts being declared criminals and being put on trial? How would you get to her?"

"If this works out how we hope, the Survey Corps will be exonerated again, and we'll have clearance to get to Annie," explained Hange.

Armin came up beside her to add his say. "I really believe the plan will work, but there aren't any guarantees. This is probably the only chance you are ever going to get to free her. You should take it."

Reiner and Bertolt glanced at each other, and the former spoke up. "What do you want us to do?"

Hange smirked. "We want Bertolt to shift into his titan form and make a breach in Wall Maria again."

Both young men looked as startled and confused as their former allies had been, when Hange first told them of the plan. "Why in the hell would you want to let the titans in?" Reiner sputtered. "Nearly all of your squad is in prison, and they're the only ones in the military ranks with the right training to take them down!"

Hange smiled. "Exactly. If Erwin's plan for the courtroom doesn't work out and convince them to drop charges, hearing the news that titans have gotten in our walls again just might. They aren't likely to risk another repeat of the last attacks."

"That sounds like a crazy plan," stated Reiner bluntly. He shrugged as best he could in his bound state. "But it makes a kind of sense. Which area of the wall would Bertolt be hitting?"

"Shigonshina district," said Eren, his bright eyes blazing down at Reiner. "Just like the first time. Nobody lives there anymore and the only people in that area now are the construction workers and whatever Garrison soldiers they've got manning the walls. It's the safest possible option."

"Makes sense," muttered Reiner. He looked at Bertolt. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think if it could help us free Annie, it's worth it." Bertolt winced as he spoke, evidently pained by the action due to the blows he'd taken. "But...could I have a little water, please?" He swallowed thirstily.

Hange obligingly removed her water canteen, and she held it to his lips and let him drink his fill. When he was finished, she capped the container and she looked around at her fellow scouts. "All right, we've got some planning to do. I overhead someone saying that the trial got bumped up to today, so we have to hurry it up. I don't want to risk any of our comrades facing the hangman's noose."

* * *

The trial was put on a brief recess, and Nile came in to the small holding room that Levi and Erwin had been placed in. "What do you think of your chances so far, Erwin?" he asked bluntly as he took a seat across from them.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Erwin lowered his blue gaze thoughtfully. "I think we've at least succeeded in placing doubt on the credibility of our accusers. Whether it will be enough, I can only speculate."

"Hmm." Nile crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you going to tell me what the rest of your plan involves?"

Erwin regarded him levelly. "You've already seen it."

Beside him, Levi kept quiet and kept his expression unreadable. So, Erwin hadn't shared Hange's part in this with Dok. That was probably a good thing. Nile's cooperation had its limits, and if he knew that Erwin had set up for another titan invasion as one last incentive for the jury to move to strike the case and free the imprisoned scouts. If Hange and the others pulled off their part of it, they would have to be ready to quickly deal with the threat they were unleashing and protect the civilian workers currently in that district.

"May I just ask," said Nile, "what was the point of getting Captain Levi here in custody with you? You never explained that to me."

Erwin glanced at the small man in question, before meeting Nile's gaze. "Because I needed his presence at my side, in the court room. Levi has an impact on people, as I'm sure you must agree. He is also my right-hand man and I value anything he has to add to this trial that might benefit us."

"I see," muse Nile in understanding. "So it was a political trump card, eh? Well, I hope it makes a favorable difference in your trial."

Levi inwardly smirked. He knew the true reason that Erwin had set up his capture, now. If Hange and the others succeeded and titans got past the walls, it would create a good show for Erwin to quickly and decisively issue orders to Levi, demonstrating the strength of his resolve and the skills of his squad. Keeping up appearances and getting fast results was key in restoring people's faith in the Survey Corps' ability to protect them.

The door opened and one of the MP's stuck her head in. "They're ready to proceed, sir. We're to escort the defendants back to the courtroom."

* * *

They gave Bertolt a set of ODM gear so that he could sneak over the wall and prepare to shift. Reiner they left in the warehouse, where he was to wait until someone contacted him to leave—unless he came under immediate danger from a titan. Meanwhile, they got into position, ready to engage the titans that would come through—at the right moment. While Hange had no intention of allowing any titan to fill their belly today, they had to make sure the situation didn't appear staged and give the Garrison on the walls the chance to make a call to arms. If they just happened to be right there in the beginning to fight the invasion, there was a chance it would draw suspicion.

Hange again assigned the same teams as before, and she warned them all before parting ways to get in position not to act immediately. Hange would wait until she thought an appropriate number of titans got through, and then she and Sasha would engage. Once she fired her acoustic flare to signal them, Eren and Mikasa would begin, and then Jean, Connie and Armin would wait to the count of one-hundred before getting into the action.

Theoretically, the plan should give enough time for word to get back to the capital that there was a breach in the wall and titans were coming in. Hopefully once that happened, the imprisoned scouts would be released and Levi would be on his way, heading an operation to eliminate the titans and get the breach plugged back up. The newest defense weaponry built into the walls would be of little use, with a new breach occurring.

Hange sighed once she and Sasha got into position, and they waited together tensely for the first shouts and warning flares to go up. "Come on, Bertolt. Don't flake on us."

Just as Hange was about to tell Sasha to wait there on their rooftop while she went to try and see what was going on, it happened. Hange saw the flash of green-gold, and then the massive head and shoulders of the colossal titan appeared, blocking out the noon sun with his imposing shadow. Predictably, there were some distant screams in response. Hange saw construction workers abandoning their projects and running for the ferries to evacuate. Bells began to go off, and red flares went up from the walls. There was a blast of steam, followed by the crush of rubble. Hange ducked and she covered Sasha bodily as some of the debris flew toward their position. Fortunately, the spot she'd chosen provided some cover from the anticipated rain of wall pieces, and the chimney saved her and her younger companion from suffering abrasions.

" _Yesss_!" hissed the scientist when the dust began to clear and she could see that Bertolt had vanished from sight, leaving behind a gaping hole in the wall to clear the way for the titans outside. The boom of the wall cannons filled the air as the Garrison brigade immediately began targeting and firing on the titans, no doubt targeting the closest ones first in an attempt to keep them from entering the district. It wouldn't work; not for long. Inevitably, the titans would get through and there would be no choice but to engage them with ODM gear.

"I really hope this works," worried Sasha as she and Hange watched the first titans make it through the breach. She bit her lip, and she looked at the small figures further away from the wall that were evacuating as quickly as they could. "I hope nobody gets killed today."

"You just worry about paying attention to your surroundings and trusting your instincts," encouraged Hange. She gave the girl's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Remember, this is a controlled experiment. It isn't going to be like past titan invasions, and Eren has his hardening ability down-pact now. That hole won't be there for long, and once Levi and the others arrive, we'll have the situation well under control."

Sasha nodded, but she still looked uncertain.

* * *

"I'm afraid we're going to have to set a new trial date," announced Darius Zackly once everyone settled in for the verdict. "The evidence presented to this court is conflicting, and so the tribunal has agreed that further investigation must be conducted, to determine which is genuine and which is falsified. The word of both parties alone isn't enough to incriminate the accusers, nor pardon the defendants."

Erwin wasn't really surprised; but at least it staved off any hangings for a while longer. It was past noon now, and he wondered if Hange was going to come through for them today, or if they would have to wait another day or two. He'd hoped they would all be free by the end of the day, but he would have to be satisfied that no execution orders were passed, this day.

Beside him, Levi snorted. A glance at the captain showed Erwin that he was exasperated; but to others that didn't know him so well, he still looked simply bored. Erwin considered addressing the tribunal in a last ditch effort to free his men, but at that moment, the doors to the courtroom opened and a tall, brunet man wearing the emblem of the Garrison Brigade on his uniform jacket came hurrying in quietly. He went straight to Pixis and he murmured in the man's ear.

"Oh?" Pixis looked mildly surprised, and he stood up and cleared his throat. "Forgive me, but I'm afraid I have to take my leave before this assembly is dismissed. It seems there's been another breach in Wall Maria, Commander-in-Chief. My soldiers need my direction, and titans are swarming into Shigonshina."

Pixis paused on his way out as the whispers of alarm rippled through the assembly, and he looked back at Zackly thoughtfully. "It's my opinion that the expertise of the Survey Corps would be invaluable to us all, right now. Such a shame."

Pixis saluted, and he and his subordinate left the courtroom with a final boom of the double doors. Predictably, people began to talk all at once and several of the participants were already demanding that the scouts be freed to eliminate this new threat.

Levi smirked across the distance at French, who was sweating now and looking hopelessly torn. His supporters looked equally nervous. "The Scouting Legion must not look so much like a gang of thugs to you now, eh pig?"

French looked between Erwin, Levi and Zackly. One of the factories being rebuilt there was his investment, and he no doubt was thinking only of the loss of future profit, should the progress be delayed by further destruction.

"Order," reminded Zackly when the buzz of noise grew louder. Other people had family members working to repair that district, and their demands for the scouts' protection were growing louder by the minute. "Calm down immediately!"

Erwin chose this moment to stand up, his arm still cuffed to his belt. "I would make a proposal at this point, with the court's permission."

The noise began to die down, and Zackly nodded. "Go on, Commander Erwin."

"Thank you. As you know, this could be considered a mitigating circumstance. We've faced situations like this before, and they could use every soldier they can get, if history isn't to repeat itself again. My proposal is this: free my men and allow them to arm themselves accordingly. I'll remain here in custody, and Captain Levi will follow and relay my orders. Should the Scouting Legion fail to resolve this and remove the threat, I will send out the order that they turn themselves in. They _will_ follow that order, sir. In addition to this, I will offer my life on the scaffold, in the event of failure."

"I see." Zackly sighed, his gaze flicking to the Merchant representatives who started this whole thing. "And what do you ask in return, if the scouts should win the day?" He obviously already knew the answer, but it was best said aloud from Erwin's mouth, for all to hear.

"In return for their loyal service, I ask that my branch be granted our freedom and a return to active duty. I do realize that the court feels that further investigation into the allegations are necessary. My men and women won't interfere with that, and they will cooperate."

Zackly considered it for a few moments while the courtroom waited with baited breath. Finally, the Commander-in-Chief nodded. "In light of the situation, I think it best to agree to those terms and grant the Survey Corps temporary exoneration to deal with this threat. What happens after that depends on them. Commander Dok, order their release. Guards, remove Captain Levi's shackles."

Levi stood up as one of the MP's—the one who had been so apologetic earlier—approached eagerly to unlock his restraints. He held still and he wore an emotionless expression on his face as the shackles came off. Levi turned to face Erwin, and there was a subtle flash in his eyes that bespoke his readiness to fight for their freedom.

"Your orders, Commander?"

"See to it that any civilians in the area are safely evacuated," replied Erwin, "and the moment the way is clear enough, Eren Jaeger is to use his abilities to seal that breach. That is all. I trust you to handle any situation that arises and eliminate those titans in that district."

Levi gave him a salute, and he cast him one last look that said he hoped to hell he knew what he was doing, offering himself to the chopping block like that. Erwin nodded subtly at him, fully believing that he and their soldiers would win the day.

* * *

"Another ten meter, closing in!"

Hange looked up at where Sasha was pointing, and she saw one of the more exceptionally deformed variety of titan's stomping toward them. It couldn't seem to lift its head off its left shoulder, and its eyes were two different sizes in its drooling face. Hange nodded, and she checked her gear to be sure her blades were still sharp.

"All right. You take care of the heel tendons while I take out the nape, Sasha. Try not to let this one land on any buildings, if you can."

"Yes ma'am."

Sasha readied her blades as well, and the two women took to the air with their gear to intercept the titan. Just as Sasha was about to lay into her targeted limbs, a small shadow came spinning over the pavement, and the green flutter passed Hange. She yanked her head to follow the blurred movement and she heard a familiar, aggressive grunt as the silver glint of spinning pairing blades flashed in the cloud-muted sunlight. The titan that she and Sasha had targeted went crashing down with a spray of blood out the back of its neck, and Levi rode it down to perch nimbly on its shoulder.

Hange's mouth fell open and her eyes widened as the captain immediately began to wipe his blades off. She reversed her direction to land beside him on the kill, not even noticing the four other scouts that arrived.

"That was _our_ kill, Ackerman!" Hange huffed at him—even as her eyes feasted on him. That was faster than she'd anticipated. She expected to be at it for longer before reinforcements showed up, but she was inwardly elated to see their plan evidently worked.

Levi glanced up from the blade he was wiping off. "Then you should have dispatched it faster, slow-poke."

Hange maintained her annoyed expression for a moment longer, until Levi frowned a little at her, found a clean corner of his handkerchief and reached up to wipe at the right lens of her goggles. "You've got a smudge, shitty glasses. I'm hardly surprised, as sloppy as you are."

Hange suddenly smiled. That one restrained act of affection from him felt almost like a kiss hello to her. Impulsively, she cupped the back of his head and laid a wet one on him. She didn't realize they had an audience that wasn't composed of those who already knew she and the captain were involved.

"What the hell?"

Moblit's shocked utterance snapped Hange out of it, and she smirked at him. "I'll explain later. We've got titans to clean up!"

Levi stepped away with a small, muttered sound of annoyance—even though he'd responded to her kiss without initial complaint. He addressed the other confused looking scouts. "She's right. We have a situation to clean up, so worry about that, first. Hange, I assume you'll want Moblit on your team. You can either keep to the rear lines and prevent the titans further into the district from getting any straggling civilians, or you can go to the front lines to help clear a path for Eren."

"Pfft, did you really need to ask? Front lines, all the way."

"Hm, predictable." Levi addressed the three that had followed him with Moblit. "The rest of you three take the rear and protect civilians. Work with your fellow soldiers there to ensure the ferries are clear from titans. Hange, where is Eren now?"

"A few blocks ahead of us to the south," answered the squad leader. "He's making his way with Mikasa to the breach as we speak."

"Good. Let's move out and rendezvous with him. I want that hole patched up as quickly as possible. We'll concentrate on taking down the remaining titans in this district afterwards."

Hange nodded with agreement. "Sounds like a plan. I'm ready when you are, Levi."

Levi checked his blades and replaced them in the scabbard. Without another word, he took off. Hange, Sasha and Moblit followed behind him swiftly, while the other three scouts went in the opposite direction to follow their directives.

* * *

"Damn, there's more of them up ahead," Eren called to his companion after taking down a five meter. "Looks like a fifteen and a seven."

"I'm on the fifteen meter," answered Mikasa. "You take the seven. Try to conserve energy, Eren. You're going to need it when you shift and use your hardening ability."

"Yeah, I know."

There was a good reason Mikasa insisted on taking out the tougher targets, and it wasn't because she had doubts of Eren's skills. He'd gotten better at using his titan powers without exhausting himself or winding up with huge nosebleeds, but sometimes when he had to shift more than once or twice, it still happened. He only hoped that the rest of their squad was freed by now and en route to assist, because these were a lot of titans for their three small teams to handle alone. He came in on a downswing as he reached his target, and he yelled as he cut into it. The cut wasn't quite deep enough to fell it, and Eren swore and came back again for another try.

"Eren!"

The wild yell from off to his right startled Eren enough to spoil his aim again. "Shit...really?"

He then realized his blades must be getting dull, so he discarded and replaced them. Hange came in to assist him, hooting in her usual, excited way as she cut into titan flesh and took out the hamstrings.

"Thanks, squad leader!"

Eren dove in for a third try, and this time he got the nape properly sliced out. The titan fell, and he took to a rooftop to look around and see how Mikasa was doing. She'd already finished off her titan and she quickly joined his side. Hange soon joined them on the rooftop, and Moblit came in for a landing behind her. Seeing him there made Eren realize that their tactics must have worked, and he looked around expectantly.

"Where is—"

Eren yelped when Levi's quiet form landed right behind him with a hiss of canister gas. "C-Captain," he stammered in greeting, turning around to meet Levi's calm gray eyes. "So it worked? They released all of you?"

"All except for the commander," confirmed Levi. He scanned the district with narrowed eyes. "Let's press on and finish clearing the way in a timely manner. Erwin is going to lose his head if we fuck this up, so let's make sure that doesn't happen, shall we?"

Eren was a little confused, but he imagined they'd get the details about Erwin's situation later. "Right. Let's do it!"

* * *

It took them three hours to clear the way to the rift in the wall. They were joined by some of the Garrison Brigade, Jean, Connie and Armin after a while. One of the Garrison soldiers got eaten on the way, but aside from that they suffered no losses or injuries. Levi was frankly surprised by that, but he took it as a good sign that they were going to succeed. He ordered Eren to shift into his titan form when he deduced that enough of the opposition was eliminated to allow a clear enough path. He flanked the shifter with Hange and Mikasa, acting as a sort of honor guard to ensure none of the remaining titans and no newcomers could get close to him. Meanwhile the others took care of further targets, knowing they'd be drawn to Eren and migrate toward him if given the chance.

Flares were still going up all over the district as Eren activated his hardening ability and made it to his position. Levi took down two more titans that tried to come through the breach, while Hange and Mikasa eliminated one each that somehow made it past the others. Levi landed beside Hange and they watched together as Eren's body took on a stone-like property, grinding and rumbling as Jaeger fit it into the breach. He pushed himself harder and parts of his form altered, growing out like tendrils to cover what parts his body alone couldn't. One of the titans on the other side of the wall must have tried to attack him or push past him at one point, because Eren shuddered a little. He held on, though, and when his task was finished, he emerged from the nape.

Mikasa went to him immediately to help him extract himself, and she supported his fatigued body as she gave Levi a nod to confirm that Eren was all right. Levi looked over his shoulder at the clock tower, noting the time. They still had several hours of daylight before the sun went down and any remaining titans became easier targets.

"Now for the rest of the cleanup," stated the captain once Eren was on the ground again. "Jaeger, you've done your part. Mikasa can escort you up to the battlements where you can rest safely. Once she's done that, we'll need her back in action. Mikasa, I'll wait here for you. Once you've seen Eren to safety, return to my side and partner up with me for our remaining tasks."

"Yes sir." She put her arms around Eren to carry him up.

Levi turned to address the others. "The rest of you, split up into your original teams and spread out to help deal with the rest of these big bastards. Work with the Garrison when you cross paths with them, to make the job go easier."

Hange adjusted her goggles and she sighed, looking off into the distance where more flares had gone up. "It certainly didn't take them long to swarm in here. Most of them should be concentrated at the walls, though...trying to reach the humans on top and behind them."

Levi nodded. "That will make them easier to dispatch. Just don't forget to shoot black flares if you run into any abnormals."

"We could try capturing one," she suggested, eager as always to get her hands on a new specimen.

"Not today, Hange." Levi met her eyes sternly. "Keep your mind on the mission. Another titan capture can be arranged on the next expedition, if this all works out for us."

She grumbled with obvious disappointment, but she shrugged it off. "I'm going to hold you to that, shrimp. Ah well, we'd better be going. Be careful out there, Levi."

"You too," he answered softly. He rolled his eyes when she blew him a kiss, but he couldn't muster sincere irritation over it.

* * *

-To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

Erwin wasn't even a bit surprised when Nile came to him and personally released him from his cell. The MP commander's smile of relief was genuine when he told him that Survey Corps and won the day and cleaned up the district of titans.

"You're free to go, old friend," explained Nile as Erwin stepped out of his cell. "Your faith in your squad wasn't misplaced, and you've all been pardoned. The Commander-in-Chief has ordered that French be placed on house arrest and thoroughly investigated. If all goes well, this should be the last incident you see from that lot."

"Good." Erwin straightened his jacket, and he walked the corridors with Nile. "I can't say that I'm not tired of these continual allegations against us."

"I can imagine," agreed Nile. "Truth and justice were the victors today, though."

Erwin smirked a little. "Yes."

If only Nile knew the strings he'd pulled to make this day end as it did. Once they were outside of the courthouse, Nile turned to Erwin with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry that things had to go the way that they did in the first place. Marie insists that you come to our home this weekend for dinner. Please accept the offer, Erwin. It's the least that we can do."

Erwin smiled at him. "The two of you have already done more than enough for us, but I won't turn away the offer to have a nice dinner with old friends. Thank you, Nile."

He offered his hand to the other man, and Nile shook it warmly.

* * *

He'd surprised both himself and her by agreeing that she should just move into his quarters with him. Levi honestly thought that he would have chosen to wait longer, before making such a move. It made no sense for them to sleep in separate quarters now, though. He'd gotten used to Hange glomping him at night, and the whole squad knew about their relationship status now. There was no point in continuing to have separate quarters when they were just going to end up in his together at the end of each night.

"Damn, it's good to be home!" Hange tossed her duffle bag on the floor and she immediately collapsed on the bed. She had the sense to keep her boots off of his bed, even though Levi was going to end up changing the sheets anyhow. She beaconed to Levi as he came through the door and put his bag down beside hers. "Come on, cutie. Let's enjoy a victory snuggle."

"First, a bath," insisted the captain. He irritably wiped at a rusty stain on his uniform jacket, but he'd given up on it actually coming off without laundry treatment. "We're both filthy."

Hange sighed and levered herself up on her elbows. "You _had_ to be a cat in a past life, Levi. You clean yourself more than anyone I've ever known."

"And yet, you don't clean yourself enough," he remarked dryly. He walked over to the bed and he offered her his hand. "Come on, shitty glasses. Your hair is matted and stinky."

Hange chuckled. "You're just eager to get me naked and wet."

"Whatever," he groused. "As long as you get clean."

* * *

Pick on him over his cleanliness though she might, Hange couldn't say she didn't enjoy the pampering. If there was one way Levi knew how to show his affection for her, it was in bathing. She damned near fell asleep in the tub with him when he scrubbed her feet for her. It felt so divine, and she had to laugh at how seriously he took it. He ran that washcloth between each toe and he massaged her feet as he went along.

"I feel like a princess," sighed Hange with her eyes closed as her lover diligently worked the suds of shampoo through her hair. His strong fingers kneaded her scalp, and the scent of tea and lavender filled the air. "You spoil me, sweetheart."

"Tch, if I left _you_ to bathe yourself, you'd get into the water for a few minutes, get back out again without even using soap and claim the job's done."

Hange chuckled, used to him grumbling over her bathing habits. "Sorry my dear, but I'm always in a rush." She turned her head to reward him with a brief kiss, enjoying the feel of his wet, hard body pressing against hers from behind. "Good thing I have my tiny captain to remind me to slow it down, hmm?"

"Yes," he agreed, lips animated against hers. "It's a very good thing. Personal hygiene isn't something anyone should skimp on. Duck under the water so we can rinse this mess out."

Again chuckling, Hange obeyed and she slid down and bent her knees more so that she could submerge. Holding her breath, she let her lover scrub her hair out beneath the water, and when Levi tapped her shoulder to let her know he was finished, she came back up for air with a little gasp. He immediately applied conditioner to her soaked tresses, and Hange waited for him to finish before twisting around. Water sloshed over the sides of the tub as she maneuvered herself into cuddle position.

"You shit," complained Levi as her head rested against his chest. "How am I supposed to wash my hair with you draped over me like this?"

"Mmm, you can do that in a minute." She smiled and she traced the pattern of stripe marks over his fair skin with dripping fingertips. "Can't we just stay like this for a little while?"

She circled his left nipple, and she found it cute when it drew taut. Hange kissed it gently and then ran her tongue over the hardened nub.

Levi's breath caught a little, and she felt his groin harden against her thigh, beneath the warm bathwater. "I guess we could do that for a little while," he murmured against her wet hair, "but not too long. We're both starting to prune."

Hange tilted her head back and she shifted a little so that she could plant a kiss on Levi's jaw. "You're so obsessive-compulsive, darling."

"Hey, you knew my quirks when we started getting involved," grumbled Levi. His wet hands massaged her shoulders even as he issued the complaint. "You knew what you were getting into."

"Yes, I did," agreed Hange with a sigh. "I love you for those neat-freak quirks, though. Mm, that feels so good, Levi."

The captain paused his massage to cup her chin with one hand and angle her head for another kiss. Hange obliged without hesitation, and she grinned against his lips when she felt him harden further against her thigh. "Shall I take it 'Levi junior' needs some attention, too?"

He grunted a little when she squirmed and gripped his thickening length with an attentive hand. "That's going to get you in trouble, four eyes."

"I like trouble," Hange insisted. She gave his length a gentle pull and she watched as his facial expression went from lazy to intrigued. "Let's get your hair washed, sexy. I'm not in the mood to wait on servicing this guy."

"Fuck my hair; it can wait."

Hange was understandably surprised when Levi nudged her off of him, stood up and stepped out of the tub. Naked and dripping water, he offered her his hand. His steely gray eyes were intense and his erection was prominent. "I'm not in the mood to wait, either."

"Oooh, such an assertive man," chuckled Hange, devouring him with her gaze. "My tiny captain is impatient…"

Her gaze fixated on his groin and she trailed off. "…I really need to come up with a new nickname for you, Levi. 'Tiny' just doesn't fit…except perhaps in irony."

"You coming, or what?" His gaze was smoldering on her.

Hange took his offered hand, and she got up and out of the tub. "Not yet, but I have a feeling I will be soon."

* * *

Her assessment that she would soon be coming was right on the mark. Hange lay on Levi's bed, grabbing hold of the rumpled covers as his busy lips and tongue worked their magic on her loins. She tossed her head and she received no admonishment when she screamed his name. The ripples of ecstasy washed over her with the orgasm, and she panted heavily. Her long, work-worn fingers tangled into his dark hair as she pulsed around the fingers thrusting into her.

"Oh God…Levi!"

"Mmm," he purred in response, his low vocalization vibrating against the tight clit he was licking and sucking on. He kept going until her climax faded, making Hange's body twitch and sing with delight.

"So good," she panted earnestly. "Shit, the things you can do with that mou—oh!"

Hange barely had time to recover from her bliss before he stopped what he was doing, stretched out on top of her and inserted his cock. She moaned, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him as the captain nudged in deep and hard. "D-darling…oh, you…"

Levi thrust again, and his mouth covered hers aggressively. Hange certainly didn't mind. He was like some fey, wild thing driven by lust and need. Hange rolled her hips into the next thrust, encouraging his lustful aggression. Levi growled in his throat and his next pump made her eyes roll back in her head.

"Yes…right there," gasped Hange. Her fingers curled as she grabbed his tight ass and she groaned, full of aching pleasure and desire. Damn, he was good. He knew just how to thrust those hips, and he was so big and hard within her. Hange's vocalizations of pleasure grew more pronounced as the headboard of Levi's bed began to thunk against the wall.

"Fuck…oh, sweetheart!"

Levi caught her mouth in another intense kiss, his breathless groans filling her ears. Her exclamations were muffled against his lips as he proceeded to fuck her senseless.

Yes…this was a _very_ good day for everyone.

* * *

_One month later:_

"Well, damn."

Hange sighed after wiping her mouth off and rinsing it with some water from her canteen. Every morning it happened, now. She knew the symptoms. She'd been trying to deny it, though. She took preventative measures, but she and Levi had been fucking like rabbits in celebration of the exoneration of the Scouting Legion...she supposed they did it one time too many for her methods to compete. She also might have forgotten to take a dose on one of those days. Usually she was so methodical with it, but research and planning sometimes made her forgetful. Of course, she hadn't really had to worry about keeping up with it before she and Levi started sleeping together.

She didn't notice the flap of her tent parting as she checked the urine sample she'd taken and mixed with a solution that would tell her for sure. Yes, it was turning blue. She had a little Levi baby on the way.

"I guess that's that. The tiny captain's going to be a daddy."

It was then that she noticed the shadow falling on the back wall of the interior of her tent, and she realized it was person-shaped. Hange turned to find her lover standing there mutely, frozen in place with the tent flap still held open by one arm.

"Ha—iii...Levi," Hange greeted, startled. Oh dear, this was not the place or the way she would have liked for him to find out. They were out on an expedition and they'd just set up the new supply base in freshly charted territory.

The captain finally spoke, his gray eyes unblinking on her. "What did you just say?"

"I said: 'Hi, Levi'," she answered nervously, giving him a wave. She stepped in front of the urine sample sitting on her table.

His gaze didn't waver. His face was a blank mask—not unusual for Levi, but now there was an intensity in his eyes that gave away more than his poker face. "Before that, shitty glasses. What did you say before that?"

Hange peeked at him warily from beneath her bangs, which were more mussed than usual after her getting ill again. "I was just rambling to myself, my dear. I don't even remember what I said. You know how I mutter under my breath at times."

Levi's brows lowered slightly and he approached. "What I heard didn't sound like random muttering. I smell puke and piss."

She blinked at him. Son of a bitch, Levi's olfaction senses were more acute than she'd imagined. "My breakfast didn't agree with me," excused the scientist. "I think it was the eggs. We really ought to throw those out."

He held her gaze and he put his hands on her shoulders. He moved her aside despite her weak protests and he gazed down at the sample on the table. His eyes flicked to the bucket in the corner after that, before meeting hers again.

"Hange."

"Hmm?" She tried her best to look innocent and unconcerned. She failed utterly.

"Are you knocked up?"

"If by 'knocked up' you mean—"

"With child," he elaborated impatiently. "Pregnant. Expecting. How many ways do I have to say it, four-eyes?"

Hange deflated. She averted her gaze and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Congratulations, you little shit. Yes, I'm pregnant. The blue urine confirms it."

He didn't move, for a moment. He just stood there staring at her, and Hange bit her lip. "I didn't get pregnant on purpose if that's what you think, Levi."

His lips parted and he finally spoke. "What in the hell are you doing on this expedition?"

She didn't understand the question right away. Was he accusing her of having sex with other men? "Just what in the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means women in your condition don't belong out here in titan territory," he answered in a low voice. "Did you know before we left?"

"Oh. Well no, not really. I knew there was something a bit off, but my symptoms only recently started. I finally decided to rule the possibility out today. So much for that."

Levi stared at her for a moment longer, and then he turned and walked out of the tent.

"W-wait," Hange called in confusion. "Where are you going, my tiny captain?"

She followed him out as Levi strode purposely across the encampment. "Levi, don't make me chase after you, shrimp!"

He spoke in a flat tone. "As soon as this base is finished being stocked, we're heading back to the wall. I'm going to check on the progress."

Hange grabbed his arm to halt him. "But we've still got a goal to reach! What about exploring the territory north of here as we discussed?"

He turned to look at her and she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. "Don't be an idiot. That isn't an option, now."

She threw her hands up and when he took off again, she kept following him. He was moving fast and she jogged a little to keep up with him. "Damn you, Levi...stop and listen to me! We can't just terminate the mission over this one little thing. We've actually been seeing decent odds this time!"

People were starting to stare. Hange didn't pay them any mind. She and the captain passed by Eren and Mikasa and they both frowned after them as Levi spoke again. "I don't give a damn how well we've been doing so far," he muttered. "I've made my decision, four-eyes."

"And what about _my_ decision?" she pressed. "We agreed to attempt another titan capture. You promised me, Levi. You and Erwin both."

He kept looking ahead, approaching the building where they'd been putting the supplies. "Out of the question."

She wanted to tear her hair out with frustration. She'd been waiting to bag a deviant for so long, and he'd gotten her hopes up again.

* * *

Levi didn't respond to Hange's continued pleas, reasoning and finally, threats. He inspected the progress of the supply building and he nodded in satisfaction, turning to the squad leader overseeing it.

"All right, let's pack up and get moving."

The man saluted him. "Yes sir! Do we move north to the next uncharted point on the map?"

Levi shook his head and he shrugged Hange off as she tugged at his arm, shaking her head. "No. We're returning to headquarters. This mission is over."

The taller man looked faintly perplexed, and his gaze slid to Hange. She was begging Levi now in a low, passionate voice.

"Don't do this to me, Ackerman," insisted the scientist. "We can still do this!"

"Another time," said Levi. His eyes swept over her. "In about nine months, maybe."

Her mouth fell open. " _Nine_...you can't be serious!"

"That's the standard gestation period, right?"

Levi walked off, leaving Hange standing there with several of her fellow scouts looking at her in shock as what the captain had just implied registered with them.

"He's...such a kidder," Hange laughed tensely, and she went after him again.

Levi went about the camp issuing terse orders until everyone was clear on their trajectory. He finally stopped at the edge of the ruined village, and he turned to grab Hange and drag her into a broken down building. He pushed her up against the wall, his eyes boring into hers.

"Listen to me, shitty glasses. The titan's aren't your fucking children." He put his hand on her still-flat belly. "This is...and it's not just yours. It's also mine. Don't be a selfish asshole."

"Selfish...oh, you smug bastard," she said lowly. "You're not the one that's going to have to do this."

"And that's why I'm not the one that needs to take it easy and stop putting myself at risk for a while," he shot back.

His words seemed to reach her a bit. Some of the frustration and anger faded from her eyes, to be replaced with...amazement. "You...you really _want_ this rugrat, don't you?" She slipped her fingers under his chin and she looked closely into his eyes.

He didn't immediately respond, because he didn't know how to answer that. Levi didn't think he'd be good father material, and he had no idea what sort of mother Hange would turn out to be. He tended to be gruff with kids—at least starting out. He thought of his own pathetic childhood. He'd enjoyed a few brief years of happiness before his mother passed. After that, it was a constant struggle to survive. What was done was done. Hange was going to have a baby and Levi had a responsibility to her and to it. Finally, he answered her question.

"Well, the _mother's_ a pain in my ass, but that's not the kid's fault."

"Tsk." Hange offered him a wan little smile. "I honestly wondered if I was going to have to do this alone. You stormed out so fast when you busted me that I didn't know what to think."

"Is that why you pushed so hard to keep going?" Levi studied her, knowing that Hange's logic wasn't always what one could call sane. "Were you hoping you'd miscarry or something?"

"No," she denied softly. She sighed and she stroked his hair. "It's my Levi baby. I wouldn't want to lose it. I _just_ confirmed it, Levi, and then you terminated the mission. I've been waiting for that abnormal specimen for so long, and I was just so disappointed that I might never get it. I wasn't thinking of myself as pregnant in those moments. I might also be a bit hormonal."

"Shit. You're unstable enough on a regular day," accused Levi dryly. "Hormonal Hange is the last thing we need."

"You're half responsible for it, my dear," she reminded him. She chucked him lightly on the chin. "You and your freakishly powerful sperm."

"Heh. Maybe your contraceptives were just too weak. Ever think of that?"

"My contraceptives are perfect," she said airily.

"Obviously not," he countered. "So are you still pissed at me or what?"

She sighed. "I'm disappointed, but I've calmed down enough to concede that I probably shouldn't be attending these expeditions—at least until after the baby comes and I can find someone reliable enough to care for it when we're out on missions."

He didn't try to convince her to retire from the squad, though another man might have. If there was one thing Levi understood, it was the drive of a soldier. Hange might be a vastly different kind of soldier than he was, but she was a soldier nonetheless, and he respected her right to remain so after their child was born—even if it could mean that child might get orphaned one day in a stroke of bad luck.

"Come on," he urged. "We'll get the mess in your research tent cleaned up and get it packed away in the supply carts. The tent and shit, that is...not the puke and urine."

* * *

The morning after their return to headquarters, Levi went to the sleeping chambers he was sharing with Hange, and he found her puking into the same bucket she'd upchucked into in her tent during the expedition. She hastily turned away from him as he approached, doing her best to keep her hair out of her face after having taken it down from her ponytail to relax for sleep. Naturally, the morning sickness descended upon her shortly after sunrise and woke her up.

To her surprise, Levi sat down on the bed with her and he gathered her hair up to hold it back. She would have expected him to be disgusted by the sight and smell of it, but he didn't complain and he patiently assisted her until the spell ended.

"Here, shitty glasses," he offered, having found the cup of water she'd left on her nightstand for just such an emergency.

Hange reached for it and she rinsed her mouth out, spitting into the bucket before taking a couple of whole swallows. "Why Levi," she observed hoarsely. "You're actually being sweet!"

"Take that back," he muttered. He grimaced a little at the bucket. "I'll...take care of that."

"You don't have to, my dear," sighed Hange. She combed her bangs out of her eyes, and she found herself resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm not as sensitive to 'disgusting things' as you are."

"I can handle it," he assured her. He noticed her toothbrush sitting near where the cup of water had been and he picked it and the jar of paste beside it up. "Hmph. Good idea. Here."

Hange accepted the items to clean her mouth out further, and Levi grabbed the bucket to go and dump it in the toilet. He came back just as she finished brushing her teeth, and he offered the now spotless bucket for her to use as a spittoon. Hange rinsed her mouth out again, put aside the items and she smiled at him as she lay back down.

"This is the less fun part of this experience," she observed. "Well, one of many, I imagine. With any luck, I'll get past this stage at the end of the first trimester."

He watched her quietly for a moment. "Just rest it off until you feel good enough to eat." He hesitated for a minute, and then he leaned over to kiss her softly on the lips. "And Hange...If I can bag your deviant for you on the next mission outside the walls, I will. You've just got to swear up and down to me that you'll be more careful with it than you've been with other subjects in the past, understood? If I get one for you and I see you make one single, reckless move, I'll kill it without hesitation and you really _will_ be waiting until after the kid comes."

She stared at him with widened eyes. That was positively the sweetest gesture he'd ever made to her. "Oh, my darling, grumpy captain! Give me another kiss!'

She grabbed Levi's cravat and she pulled him down for a lingering, appreciative smooch.

* * *

"Levi, I heard a frankly absurd rumor today," Erwin said as he went over the log delivered to him later that afternoon.

Levi had a seat on the couch in the commander's office. "Oh? What about?"

"About Hange," replied Erwin. He glanced up from the log, his piercing blue eyes studious on the captain. "Granted, I rarely listen to rumors, but this one had my ears perked and I overheard it from more than one soldier. Supposedly, the two of you got into an argument after the platoon set up the new supply base. According to what I overheard, you alluded that she might be with child."

Levi sipped his tea. "Yeah, she's pregnant. It's mine."

Erwin started to choke on the coffee he'd just sipped from. Levi looked at him and he tilted his head. "Don't tell me you're surprised. You've drilled me about our relationship before."

"I...didn't expect you to admit it so readily," answered the commander. "It has become common knowledge that the two of you are an item now, but you've always seemed defensive when the question comes up concerning permanency of the relationship."

Levi shrugged. "To hell with it. It's going to be obvious when she starts getting heavy anyway."

"I...see. I suppose this means she needs a sabbatical from active duty for a while."

"I'd appreciate that, sir. She may fight it, but it isn't just about her, now." Levi calmly sipped his tea again.

Erwin scratched his head, for once nearly at a loss. "Congratulations are in order, I imagine. Pardon my asking, Levi, but are there any plans for a wedding?"

Levi paused for a moment. "We haven't talked about that. Hell, we just found out about the kid. I'm sure you can see why I terminated the mission when she let it slip."

"Of course." Erwin nodded. "I haven't any issue with that, now that you've confirmed the true reason behind it. I'm sure Hange wasn't overly pleased, though."

"How did you guess?" Levi smirked into his teacup, his gaze flicking to the other man. "She's settled down, for now."

"For now," repeated Erwin with a slight smirk. "I must admit, I'm surprised."

"That makes two of us," agreed Levi. "So are we done talking about this now? You can stop wondering."

Erwin resisted a sigh. He wasn't exactly thrilled to have their titan expert out of commission for a while, but nature happened. "I suppose we're finished. Dismissed, and congratulations again."

* * *

As Hange predicted, once she got into her second trimester her morning sickness spells faded. Conversely, she started having food cravings she'd never had before. She used to hate broccoli, but now it seemed she couldn't get enough of it to satisfy her. Additionally her appetite for sex returned—a thing which Levi had wondered might be gone for the duration of the pregnancy. He discovered the return of her libido in a rather conspicuous way, just after he returned from another scouting expedition. They were having dinner in the mess hall and Hange watched him like a hawk as she ate.

"Something on my face?" asked Levi.

She grinned around the food in her mouth, and she chewed and swallowed. "No, just looking at my cute grump."

Her foot began to toy with his beneath the table, and then it started moving up his leg. She wasn't wearing shoes on her sock-covered feet, and her toes kneaded against his leg. The captain paused in the act of taking a bite of baked chicken and he met her eyes again. She hadn't done more than give him chaste kisses and hugs for some time now, and he regarded her almost warily.

"Someone seems playful."

"Mmm." Hange reached for her water and she had a sip.

Her foot kept climbing up. Levi cast a glance around at the other occupants of the dining area, and he reached down with a slight gasp when he felt her toes tickling his crotch. "What the hell are you doing?" he whispered, discretely grabbing the mischievous foot to stop it from rubbing the area. So far nobody seemed to notice her playing, but these tables didn't have covers on them and anyone could glance over and plainly see where Hange's foot was resting under the surface.

"I missed you," she said with a shrug. "You were gone for four days and a girl gets lonely."

Levi grunted a little when her determined toes wiggled against his package. "Not here," he warned her softly.

"Everyone knows about us now," she reminded him just as softly. "Don't be such a prude, Ackerman."

"I'm not," he countered, "I'm just not comfortable with you fondling my junk in front of everyone, so quit that."

"But I'm feeling frisky," she complained, "and it's been a while, don't you think?"

"Then finish your meal faster," advised Levi, "and quit getting me worked up. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can go."

Hange smirked, satisfied with his answer.

* * *

Hange caught herself whimpering as Levi pumped steadily inside of her from behind. She had one leg bent upwards, and his fingers rubbed her clit in gentle circles. His breath was hot against her ear, his low grunts and groans filling it. The headboard knocked against the wall as his excitement increased and he started thrusting harder. He gasped her name, his voice a husky drone.

"Levi," Hange called, feeling the tension rise to a familiar level inside of her. It started then, and she shuddered, her inner muscles pulsing around his hard length. She turned her head and kissed him desperately, moaning into his mouth.

He eased up on his thrusting, slowing down to let her feel the glide of his cock more distinctly inside of her. His tongue delved past her lips and he hummed in approval. His fingers gentled their massage on her clit, drawing her climax out with care. When the spasms eased up, he withdrew his hand from between her thighs to slide it up her abdomen. It rested there for a moment, over the subtle little swell that had begun to develop. His lips pulled away from hers and he bowed his head over her shoulder as he started pumping faster again. His hand caressed further up, cupping one of her breasts gently before teasing the nipple.

Hange's eyes fluttered shut. She was more sensitive to the touch there, now. Her body was changing in the most interesting ways as her pregnancy progressed. Her thoughts on that got distracted as he began to ram into her, his thick length almost painfully driving in. She covered his hand with hers and she called his name, her body glistening with perspiration in the moonlit room.

"Huunnh," Levi groaned through clenched teeth, shoving into her once more. He tensed up and he filled her, gasping as his dick pulsed within her. "Damn," he gasped against her shoulder, panting heavily through the orgasm.

"Mmm," Hange purred in approval. She smiled, sated and content in his arms as he began to soften inside of her. She turned her head for a kiss. "You satisfy all of my cravings, handsome."

"Not...the food cravings," he breathed. "I can't make pickles appear out of thin air."

"No, but you did ride through town trying to find some for sale." She chuckled and she brought his hand to her lips to kiss it. "I never would have imagined you being so thoughtful."

"Just don't go spreading it around," he mumbled.

He stayed wedged inside of her, and he kissed her shoulder and caressed her leisurely. "Hey four-eyes, we haven't talked about names yet."

"Hmm. I've only thought of a boy name, recently. I like Evan."

Levi considered it for a moment. "Evan, huh? That could work."

She turned her head for another kiss on the lips. "Then you pick the girl name."

His brows furrowed briefly. "Shit, I don't know."

"' _I don't know'_ ," Hange whispered. "I have to admit, that's a unique name to give a baby."

Levi flicked her nose lightly with his forefinger. "Smart ass."

"Oh, we shouldn't name her that, either." Hange bit back a chuckle, enjoying teasing him. "That could get her into trouble at school."

He sighed and dropped his forehead to her shoulder. "You aren't going to quit, are you?"

"Nope. Not right away. Come on, Levi. You can come up with something."

"Uh...Lillian," he finally said.

"Hey, that's nice!" Hange patted his head rewardingly. "Well done, Levi. So it's going to be Evan or Lillian. What made you come up with that so suddenly? You seemed stumped."

"It's the name of a prostitute I used to know," he answered.

Hange went still, her brows furrowing. She turned her head to look at him. "Er...a prostitute? That's...interesting."

"Heh. I can fuck with you too, you know," Levi murmured with a smirk.

"Tsk. Asshole." Hange grinned at him. "So where did the name Lillian really come from?"

"I knew a girl by that name when I was a teenager," he explained. "Can't remember what she looked like, but I remember the name. She used to sell newspapers."

"Ah, I see. Well, I do like that name."

Levi eased out of her and he urged her to roll over to face him. "I almost considered using my mother's name."

"We could do that too," assured Hange. She stroked his arm.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't want to think of her when I call our daughter's name, if we have a girl. Maybe that sounds fucked up, but my last memory of her was of her wasted away to nothing. It's not a picture I want in my head when I address our kid."

"I don't blame you." Hange traced patterns on his chest with her fingertips and she gazed at him somberly. She squirmed down a bit and she rested her head there. "Well, that's been resolved. I'm glad we didn't wait until the last minute."

Levi rubbed her back and he remained silent. She looked up at him from her position against his chest. "Is something wrong?"

He shrugged and he shook his head. "No."

Hange didn't press him. When Levi was through talking, he tended to get cranky if anyone pressed him for conversation.

* * *

He did it for her, just as he'd promised. On his next expedition out, Levi and the squad brought back with them a deviant titan for Hange's research. He had misgivings about it, of course. As they brought the big platform cart carrying the restrained creature into the holding facility, the captain quietly struggled with his doubts and concerns. Moblit rode up beside him and he also regarded the titan with some measure of concern.

"Captain, forgive me if I'm overstepping myself by asking, but are you sure you want to do this? Hange's midway through the second trimester now. She...well, I know she's not the ordinary woman, but have you thought of waiting until she has the baby before you tell her about this one?"

"How am I going to keep it a secret when every surviving squad member here knows about it?" demanded Levi. "Word is going to get back to her sooner or later, and I don't feel like fighting her over this."

Moblit shook his head. "Bad idea, Levi. You got her pet titan. She can wait a few more months."

Levi looked at the blond with a frown. "What would you suggest I do? Lock her in her quarters and keep guard over her?" He looked at the eight meter abnormal they'd caught, and his hands tightened a bit on the reins—the only sign of his anxiety. "She knows I'll kill it if she has any close calls."

"It only takes one," Moblit reminded him. "I sure as hell wouldn't allow it, if it were me."

"I'm not going to treat her like an invalid," announced Levi sternly.

"But it's _Hange_ ," Moblit stressed. "Do you really think she's going to contain herself and be careful enough? You know how excited and reckless she gets when she's studying specimens."

Levi looked around at their surroundings, inspecting the holding capabilities. "Then she can supervise while I do her damned tests for her."

Moblit both raised his brows. "Must be love."

* * *

Hange looked up from the notes she was writing as her lover came into her lab. She smiled up at him and she put her pen down to stand up. "Did you just get back? I was so engrossed that I didn't even hear the squad come in."

"Most of them are taking care of something right now. They'll be back eventually."

His brooding gaze fell to her stomach, which had rounded out slightly more. "Look, I've got something for you, but there have to be conditions."

Hange's brow furrowed slightly. "That's odd. What are you talking about, Levi?"

He hesitated and he looked away. Almost sullenly, he answered. "I bagged your deviant on this expedition."

She stared at him with amazement, hardly believing it. "Oh, Levi...really? Did you really bring one back for me?"

"Told you I would, didn't I?" He met her gaze again; his frowning lips parting to issue a stern warning. "Like I said: there are conditions. I don't want you doing any hands-on testing with this thing while you're knocked up."

"But, how am I supposed to—"

"Instruct me and I'll do all the dangerous testing for you," Levi explained, interrupting her. "That's simple enough, wouldn't you agree?"

Hange reached out to touch his face. "Are you serious? You've always seemed so disgusted with it all."

"I am." the captain shrugged. "That doesn't stop me from killing titans, and it won't stop me from doing whatever the hell it is you need to advance your research. I can handle it."

Hange clucked her tongue and she stroked his hair. Suddenly emotional, she looked away and blinked back tears. "I...thank you, my dear. You don't...know w-what this...means..."

Levi frowned severely at her as she pulled her hand away from his hair and wiped hastily at her eyes beneath her glasses. "Why are you crying? This was supposed to make you happy."

"Oh, but I _am_ happy." Hange looked at him with glistening eyes and she sniffed. "Happy and touched. Not to mention, hormonal. Don't ask me why it drives me to tears to know that my germaphobic lover would be willing to do all the dirty work for me, while I carry this baby."

"You really _are_ crazy," he muttered gruffly. "Just...stop crying, all right?"

"Yes sir, Captain Cranky." She sniffled once more, and then she reached out to embrace him. Kissing his forehead, she sighed and she tried to calm her emotions. "Thank you, Levi."

"Tch, don't mention it," he mumbled against her chest. He pulled his head back to regard her seriously. "I mean it though, Hange. One slip and you'll be out another titan pet until after the kid arrives. Is that understood?"

"Yes, I understand perfectly." She kissed his nose and smiled tremulously. "I think you deserve a reward."

"A…reward?"

Levi's puzzlement faded as she demonstrated her point by reaching down to cup him between the legs. "Oh. I'm not going to say 'no' to that."

* * *

-To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey Hange…let's get married."

She nearly spewed the bite of stew she'd just taken.

"'Scuse me?" Hange coughed once she recovered from her initial shock.

"I said we should get married," reiterated Levi calmly, his gaze holding hers. "You'll be giving birth to our kid in a couple of months. We're together. It makes sense. We ought to be married."

Hange dropped her spoon back into the bowl before her, and she stared at him suspiciously. "Levi, if this is a joke, it isn't funny."

He made one of those annoyed little "tch" sounds. "Since when have you ever known me to make jokes or pull pranks, four eyes? I'm being serious."

Hange frowned, still wary. "Are you _seriously_ asking me to be your wife?"

"I wouldn't have suggested the idea if I didn't mean it," Levi pointed out. His gaze went to her rounded belly. "Look, we've been fighting at one another's side for years, now. We're having a kid together. I think this is the next logical step."

Her heart was hammering. She reached across the table with wide eyes, barely able to believe that this man was truly asking for her hand in marriage. "Levi…"

His gaze met hers levelly, and he didn't falter. "I was prepared to marry Petra. I knew that with enough fooling around, we had a chance of a pregnancy. I'm not an irresponsible shit, Hange. I want this kid to have as stable a home as possible, and you aren't just a screw, okay? I know it's a shit-ass way to propose, but it just came to me and I'm serious. Marry me, you idiot."

Hange's pregnancy hormones hit her in the worst possible way, then. Her vision blurred with tears, and she had to use her napkin to dab at her eyes. "You…oh, Levi…you terrible little man. Now I'm going to cry."

"That's fine," he assured softly. "Just don't say 'no'."

Hange laughed, hardly taking notice of the wide-eyed looks of other scouts in the mess hall that had overheard and paused in their eating to watch. She wiped away the tears and she smiled at Levi. No, this wasn't the romantic, formal proposal that girls dreamed of. He hadn't bought her a ring and gotten on one knee…and yet it was the most sincere, loving proposal Hange could ever imagine. Levi was completely honest, and the look in his eyes said that he meant every word of what he'd said. What more could she have asked for?

"All right, shrimp." Hange's lips trembled as she smiled, and she again reached across the table to squeeze his waiting hands. "We'll get married."

The forthcoming silence was broken by Connie's blurted relief. "Oh, thank fuck!"

Hange couldn't contain her laughter as the shaved-headed kid hooted and Sasha led a round of applause. Levi's sour expression of annoyance only made Hange laugh harder.

* * *

Two weeks later, Hange and Levi prepared to tie the knot in view of their squad. Erwin was presiding over the ceremony, having the authority as a military commander to finalize their vows.

"You know, it's not too late to back out," whispered Hange as she and Levi approached the podium. "I'm not the ideal wife, my dear."

"Find someone that makes the 'ideal wife' and get back to me on that," muttered Levi in response. His steely gray eyes met hers sidelong, and they swept over her form. "You look pretty, by the way."

Hange found herself blushing. She was _literally_ a blushing bride, and that amused her to the point of chuckles. Historia was mainly to thank for how she looked on this day. The young queen knew more about beauty tips than most of her former associates, and she had insisted upon appointing a beautician to style Hange's hair and makeup for this very special day. Hange wore an empire waist wedding gown to accommodate the swell of her abdomen, and her hair was pulled up and fashioned into rich coils of brown. Levi looked sharp and of course handsome in his white tuxedo. Inwardly, Hange imagined they made quite the attractive couple.

"Last chance to back out," she muttered from the corner of her mouth as they stepped onto the podium to join Erwin.

"Shut up, idiot," Levi muttered back. "I'm not backing out."

Unable to help herself, Hange laughed again. He loved her. Levi really loved her, despite all of her quirks. There was such comfort to be had in that knowledge.

"Shall we begin?" Erwin prompted once they were on the podium with him. "Granted, I can't say that I've ever done this before. This should be interesting."

"Feel free to proceed, Commander," prompted Levi calmly.

"Hey captain, do you need a stool?"

Levi turned to glare into the suddenly hushed audience. Whomever had the audacity to make mention of his and Hange's height difference was wisely hiding himself. "Do you need my boot up your ass?" Levi spouted, unable to identify the culprit. "Keep your wisecracks to yourselves."

"Oh shit," snickered Hange.

"Do you want to make a crack too?" Levi pressed her with a scowl.

Hange cleared her throat. "No, of course not, tiny…erm…Levi. You're my groom, after all. Erwin, make with the vows before he explodes!"

"Ahem…yes." Erwin visibly suppressed his amusement as Levi turned back around to face him. "We are gathered here today…"

The wedding thankfully proceeded without Levi killing anyone.

* * *

"Why are you hesitating, darling?"

Levi stared at Hange, pausing in the act of loosening his tie. This was their honeymoon night, and by all rights he should be stripping and pouncing on her. He couldn't, though. Her hair, her makeup, her gown…she just looked so beautiful. It felt like he'd be committing some grave sin to muss her. He lowered his gaze.

"I don't want to mess you up."

He smelled her perfume as she approached, and he grumbled when she chuckled softly and cupped his face with her satin-gloved hands. "Oh Levi…you are so precious."

"Shut up."

Hange's lips met his, ignoring his grouchy response. "I can pretty myself up for you whenever you want, grump. It isn't like this is the only time you'll ever get to see me made up again."

At once, he felt shallow. Levi raised his eyes to meet hers, and he frowned a little. "You know it's not just the makeup, right? You do look pretty, but I'm not just…I mean, that isn't why…"

He trailed off uncertainly, ridiculously flustered. How did one express to a woman just what made her special? He had no idea. He'd never been good at this.

Hange grinned, seeming to understand where he was going better than even Levi did. She chucked him lightly on the chin. "You silly goose. I know that you didn't ask me to marry you for my looks. Most of the time, you're insulting my personal hygiene. It's okay, Levi."

Hange lowered her mouth to his for a soft kiss. "The fact that you think I look so pretty that you don't want to 'mess me up' makes me happy, Levi. Every bride wants to look nice for her groom, after all!"

Levi still felt embarrassed. "I don't think you're ugly on a normal day. Dirty yes…but not ugly."

She chuckled, and she loosened his tie. "You are too damned cute for your own good. I'm just happy to know I can be pretty for you on our wedding night. Now come here and stop worrying about 'messing me up', you."

He took her advice, if only because she grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him into a heated kiss. The growing swell of her belly got in the way a bit, but that didn't stop Levi's body from reacting to Hange's passionate kiss…nor did it distract from her appeal. Even if she were unwashed and in uniform, Levi knew that he would find her crazy ass attractive. He'd seen her covered in titan blood, he'd seen her covered in dirt. He'd seen her naked and filthy; even before they got involved. She was simply beautiful to him, inside and out. He loved her, and he didn't know how to tell her that.

"Shitty glasses," Levi muttered against her lips between kisses, allowing himself to be half-dragged towards the bed. It didn't matter. His lack of social skills weren't a problem with Hange, because she _knew_ how he felt. She knew what was in his heart, even if he sucked at expressing it. Words weren't needed.

As Levi followed his new bride and stretched out on top of her, his doubts faded and he fell into the moment. Let people think he was incapable of emotions. Let them believe he couldn't care. Hange knew differently, and he certainly didn't mind showing her. His clothes got strewn all over the room along with hers, and he stopped her with a gasp when she tried to remove the garter belt she was wearing.

"Leave it," demanded Levi.

"Oh, does my grumpy captain have a kink for garter belts?" She smirked up at him, running her hands over his chest and abs as he wriggled out of his underwear.

"Call it whatever you want," breathed Levi. His erection sprang free once he tugged his underwear down, and he shimmied out of the garment to toss it aside. Careful not to put his full weight on her pregnant belly, he stretched out on top of her again and he kissed her.

"Mm, you certainly know how to make a woman feel wanted," observed Hange when his lips broke away from hers to kiss her throat. She combed her fingers through his hair. "Levi, do you think we did the right thing? I mean with the shifters."

He lifted his head to look down at her. "Our wedding night really isn't the setting to be asking that, shitty glasses. Giving up Leonhart to those assholes was hard enough."

Hange was instantly contrite. Of course this was not the time to mention the deal they'd made with Bertolt and Reiner to ensure the scouts' freedom. Levi was bitter about it, and she could hardly blame him. Hange caressed the captain's face, and she smiled up at him.

"You're right, and I'm sorry. I won't mention it again."

Such a subject was a matter for later discussion…provided Levi was willing to talk about it at all. This was _their_ night, and matters of politics and titans could wait. Levi seemed to forgive her blunder. His fingers were already carefully fondling her clit. Hange rolled her hips into his touch, and she moaned in appreciation. Where her cranky captain lacked in social skills, he more than made up for in the bedroom.

* * *

Hange's due date approached, and no amount of preparing could brace Levi for the reality of becoming a father for the first time. No matter how he planned and no matter how much reading he did on the subject, when she went into labor he was trapped in a maze of helpless anxiety. They were eating lunch when her water broke, and he abandoned his meal immediately to help her to the sleeping chambers they were sharing. He sent for Moblit right away, knowing that Hange wanted her assistant to help deliver the child. Once it started in earnest, Levi discovered just how useless he was.

"Oh God, it fucking burns! L-Levi…help!"

He wanted to help her. He _really_ wanted to…but all he could do was clutch Hange's hand and encourage her. "It's almost over," he soothed, feeling like a jackass even as he said the words. "Just hang on a little longer, Hange."

"Shit," she panted, her thighs spread wide as she struggled to give birth. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! You little demon…you did this to me! Unh!"

It was the one time that Levi would put up with being shit on. He looked at Hange with faint remorse and he ignored the punishing way her hand squeezed his. "Breathe through it, shitty glasses. You're nearly done. Hey, look at me…"

Her pained, tearful eyes met his, and Levi held her gaze. "Just a little more, Hange. You're doing fine. I'm right here."

Hange wheezed with effort, and her sweaty hand gripped his hard enough to make the bones creak. "Don't even _think_ of leaving my side, asshole!"

"I wouldn't," he promised.

"The head is crowning," announced Moblit with a smile. "You're almost there, Hange! Give it one more good push!"

Hange bore down with a scream, and Levi did his best to assist her. He kept one supportive arm around her shoulders as her body trembled with the strain of birthing their child, and he muttered low encouragement against her sweaty hair.

"I'm here. I'm here. It's okay, fuck-face." Levi ignored Moblit's admonishing look. He might seem like a complete asshole to others, but Hange needed this. She needed him to treat her as he always did, regardless of how it appeared to others.

"Oh my fucking gawd, this hurts!"

Hange's sobbing exclamation made Levi feel like total shit. He squeezed her harder and he kissed her sweating temple. "I know. Sorry, four eyes. It's almost over with. I fucking love you, okay? Just hang in there."

Hange seemed to calm down a bit, and she panted against Levi's shoulder. "Y-you little shit. Hold my hand. Oh God…here comes another one!"

Levi quickly returned Hange's grip as another contraction ripped through her, and he murmured encouragement. "You're fine….you're okay. Just hold on a little longer, Hange."

She gave one final, tortured scream…and then their child came into the world. Hange fell back against the pillows and she panted in exhaustion while Moblit cut the umbilical chord and cleaned the newborn up.

"You've got a healthy son, Captain," announced Moblit moments later. He smiled as he offered the squawling infant to a rather strained and stressed Levi. "Evan, isn't it?

Levi stared blankly at his newborn son. "Yes. Evan. Holy shit…"

Moblit chuckled, and he looked down at Hange's exhausted form. "Need a minute to adjust?"

Levi suffered a moment of stupidity. "Yes. I…yes, that would be good."

* * *

He couldn't stop staring. Hange cradled their newborn against her breast, and she guided his mouth to her nipple. She chuckled at Levi when she saw him staring. "It's nature, my dear. Stop looking like that, or I might have to smack some sense into you."

Levi shook himself out of it, and he tore his gaze off of the sight of his son suckling at Hange's breast. "Hey, I'm new to this shit. Don't give me grief."

His eyes softened a little, and he nodded at the infant nestled against her breast. "Does that hurt?"

Hange glanced down with a smile, and she shook her head. She stroked gentle fingers over the infant's dark hair. "No. It feels a little strange, but it doesn't hurt. Look at how beautiful he is, Levi. He has your features. What a handsome little thing!"

Levi stared down at the infant, and he kept his thoughts to himself.

"What's the matter, my dear? Aren't you proud of this beautiful little guy we've created together?"

Hange's expectant red-brown gaze speared him. Levi couldn't hold it. He looked away, struggling with his thoughts. "I…don't know what to say."

"Levi, look at me."

He swallowed, and he met Hange's tired gaze. She was frowning at him, and she glanced down at their infant, nestled against her breast. "Now look at _him_. We made this adorable little thing together, Levi. He's a part of both of us. _Look at him_."

Levi compulsively latched his eyes on the tiny form of his new son. His brows furrowed. "He's so small."

Hange's serious expression relaxed into a smile, her handsome features lighting up with mirth. "Come here, darling. Come and sit beside us."

Levi obeyed for lack of any better reaction. He regarded his newborn warily as Hange tugged Evan away from her breast to offer him to the captain. "Hold him for a minute. It's okay."

The baby started to complain, and Levi shot a glance at Hange's exposed right breast. "He's still hungry."

"No, he'll be fine," insisted Hange. Her ginger gaze held Levi's "Hold your new son, Levi. You need to get familiar with each other."

He hesitated, but Hange kept holding the squirming infant towards him. With a sigh, he finally took the baby. He held Evan gingerly, afraid that the child might shatter if he tilted it the wrong way. "He's looking at me."

"Well, you're his daddy." Hange's mouth quirked with amusement. "Cuddle him, you little shit. This is the first time you've ever held your firstborn child. It's okay. You can do it."

Levi hesitantly placed the infant against his chest, and he bounced lightly. "Like this? Help me out here…I've got no idea."

Hange snickered softly and she nodded. "That seems to be the case, my dear. Look at that! He's already settled down. He likes you."

Levi eased up a bit on his bouncing motions, and he turned and tilted his head to gaze down at his son. A hint of a smile found its way on his lips as the baby gurgled and grabbed at his uniform jacket. He'd inherited Hange's eye color, and the inquisitive, wide mahogany gaze stared up at him. "Not too bad. Hey kid, I'll try not to be an asshole to you."

"Charming," snorted Hange. She relaxed against the bedding with a sigh. "See? You're better than you thought at this."

Levi took note of the fatigue in Hange's eyes, and he bounced the infant again. "I've got this, four eyes. Get a little rest while you can."

Hange was already asleep.

* * *

She awoke to the sight of her husband rocking their newborn gently in his strong, capable arms. Hange smiled at the sight, wincing a little with residual pain as she stretched. Levi had seemed so uncertain before, but now he was handling their new baby with confidence. Hange squirmed into a sitting position and she covered her mouth on a yawn.

"Just look at my two handsome guys," she stated. "How is he, Levi?"

"Hungry, I think." Levi shifted the infant in his arms and he shushed him when he started to whimper. "You weren't out for long."

"I never sleep long." Hange winced a little as she sat up straighter, and she held her arms out. "Hand him over to me, darling. Thank you for watching him."

Levi brought the infant to her and he relinquished him to her care. He took a seat in the visitor chair beside her bed, and Hange noticed how dark the shadows beneath his eyes were. She looked at Levi with concern as she settled Evan at her breast for feeding.

"You haven't had the chance to sleep at all, have you?"

Levi shrugged. "I'll manage. You were exhausted. I didn't trust…" He looked away toward the window, censoring himself.

Hange smirked knowingly. "You didn't trust anyone else to handle our baby, I take it."

Levi again shrugged. He glanced over at her and the baby, and his bland expression faded into something resembling a little smile. "You look nice."

Hange nearly choked. "What? I just gave birth. Are you insane?"

Levi's gaze flicked to the dark head of their son, nestled against her breast. His eyes met hers, and he shook his head. "No. You're feeding our kid, and I think you look pretty."

Hange's disbelief faded. This man never failed to surprise her. He didn't view the world the way others did, after all. He didn't _react_ to the world around him the way others did. To be basically told she was beautiful to him when she knew damned well she was haggard looking from childbirth was a wondrous thing.

"Oh sweetheart…come here and give me a kiss."

Levi grumbled a bit, but he complied. Hange smiled against his mouth as he leaned over to comply with her request.

"You know, I can't imagine any woman anywhere that wouldn't love to hear her husband compliment her like that, after just giving birth." Hange scratched Levi's scalp affectionately, mussing his dark hair. "You act like an asshole, but you really can be sweet."

"Whatever," mumbled Levi gruffly. His pale gaze flicked between her and the infant. "So are you okay with him alone for a minute? I've had to piss for about an hour."

She chortled softly with amusement. "Go and piss, then. We'll be fine, my dear."

* * *

Of course, everyone wanted a turn at holding Evan when Hange was released from the hospital and allowed to bring him back home with her to headquarters. Levi was startlingly protective of his son, and Hange had to admonish him several times.

"They aren't going to drop him," she reassured the anxious captain as their baby was passed amongst the ranks. "Damn, calm down, Levi!"

"The head," stated Levi in a dead-serious voice as Connie passed the baby to Sasha. "Support his head, all right?"

Sasha carefully cradled the infant with a broad grin. "Don't worry, Captain! I know how to hold babies. Aw, he's so cute! He's like a tiny version of you, with Squad Leader Hange's eyes! Hey, cutie! I'm your Aunt Sasha!"

Erwin came up beside Hange while Sasha was handling the baby. He leaned over to mutter in the scientist's ear. "Be thankful you didn't have a daughter. As protective as Levi is, I can only imagine what that would be like."

"No shit," grumbled Hange in return. "He's driving me insane, Erwin! Talk some sense into him."

The commander chuckled softly, and he shook his head. "I could try, but it's doubtful that I would get results. Levi is a father for the first time. Try and be patient with him, Hange."

She looked at her husband and she felt a conflicting desire to kiss him silly or rip his head off. Levi's concern for the safety of their child was admirable and endearing, but at the same time it was a bit paranoid. Nobody in the Survey Corps would dare even _think_ of dropping or mishandling Evan, but Levi was watching like a hawk over every single interaction. Hange hadn't really expected for him to be so protective a father. She hadn't expected for him to be so attentive, either. Levi was like Super Dad. It made her feel a little inferior as a parent, truth be told.

"Erwin?"

"Hm?" The commander gazed at her with calm blue eyes. "What is it, Hange?"

"I'm fucking doomed." Hange sighed, and she felt the urge to cry. "I…I can't match him. He's a better father than I am a mother."

Erwin frowned a bit. "Come and talk with me, Hange. Please."

She sighed again, and she nodded. Knowing that her cranky and diligent husband would keep an eye on their son until his next feeding, she walked out into the corridor with Erwin and she followed him into one of the sitting rooms. The commander sat down in a chair and he made a gesture with his single hand for her to join him. Once she was seated, Erwin spoke in a calming tone.

"You're both new to this. It's understandable that you suffer some doubts, and as you told me yesterday, your body is still recovering from pregnancy hormones. I'll say this to you now: Hange, you are _not_ a bad mother. This isn't a competition between you and Levi."

She felt herself flushing, and she touched her cheeks. "Oh my, am I really that transparent?"

Erwin smirked a little, his handsome features taking on a mildly amused expression. "Only to those who've known you for years. I doubt others came to the same conclusion as myself."

Hange grimaced. "I must seem so petty and selfish to you."

Erwin waved his hand. "Not at all. You're simply a new mother, trying to cope with the added responsibility of being a parent on top of your usual job. Give yourself some allowances. Both you and Levi are going to need time to adjust, and I'm fine with that."

Hange wanted to cut herself some slack as Erwin suggested, but she just couldn't. "Levi is so much better at this than I am, though. He was so nervous at first, but now he's taking it on like a champ…and I feel left behind. He's always the first one up when that kid needs a change of diaper, he brings him straight to me when he's hungry, he—"

"Hange, slow down," interrupted Erwin softly. "You are trying to keep up with Levi. The fact of the matter is, the man is obsessive compulsive. Stop doing this to yourself. It's Levi. Your inability to keep up with his anal retentive nature doesn't make you the lesser parent."

Hange choked on a blend between a laugh and a sob. "I…I suppose that's true. So I'm not a bad mommy?"

Erwin got out of his chair, and he put his single remaining arm around her in a supportive embrace. "No, you aren't a bad mother at all, Hange. You're only a new one, and your husband happens to be aggressively attentive to details. You'll both settle in with time, I'm sure. Give yourself allowances."

She started to cry, and she clutched at Erwin's jacket. "I don't know why I'm so sensitive," she sniffled, "but thank you, Erwin. Thank you for being my friend…and for being so patient."

Erwin patted her back gently. "You and Levi are my best soldiers. I would be a fool not to give you the time and space you need to adjust." He smiled against her hair. "It's going to be all right, Hange. You'll both adjust, and things will level out. Right now, you're both simply overwhelmed. I'm going to work with you on that. Take your time."

Hange nodded, still keeping her face buried against his shoulder. "You are the best boss _ever_. Have I told you that recently?"

Erwin chuckled. "No, but it's a welcome thing to hear, all the same."

* * *

He was feeling pretty good about himself, until a heavy object rudely flew into the back of his head. Erwin cursed softly, splayed his fingers over the spot and turned around to face an incensed Levi. He glanced at the floor to see that the object that struck him was a baby book.

"Levi, what in the world?"

Erwin bent over to retrieve the book, and he stared at his subordinate as if he'd sprouted a second head. "Did you just _throw_ this at me?"

"Damned right, I did." Levi shifted his infant son in his arms, and he bounced him gently against his shoulder even as his smoldering gaze locked with Erwin's. "Who in the hell do you think you are?"

Erwin was comically confused. "I think—therefore I am—Erwin Smith. Do you want to tell me just what in the hell this is about, soldier?"

"You're a fucker."

Even as Levi uttered the damning accusation, he covered his son's ears. Not that Evan was old enough to understand such foul language. Erwin found it ridiculously amusing that Levi would try to shield his son from his own vulgarity, and he chuckled in spite of himself.

"Think that's funny?" Levi's eyes narrowed on him.

"All right, let's just stop for a moment," reasoned Erwin, putting his hand out in a warding gesture. "What did I do, Levi? You threw a book at my head and insulted me without even so much as an explanation."

"You told my wife I was mentally ill, you fucker."

Erwin tried to digest that accusation, and he was sure his facial expression reflected his utter confusion. "I beg pardon?"

Levi stepped closer, still holding his baby carefully as he glared up at the commander. "You told Hange that I have some kind of disorder. She just told me and she said I should drink one of her concoctions to calm down. You may be my superior, but you're not my father. Just who in the hell do you think you are?"

Erwin felt a sudden urge to burst into laughter. This was getting beyond ridiculous. "S-so this is about my mention of your obsessive compulsion? Levi—"

"Oh, you're lucky I'm holding a baby right now," interrupted the captain, pupils dilating with aggression.

Good lord, he was serious. Erwin stared at the smaller man, and his mouth fell open. Levi was seriously ready to kick his ass, and he knew that Ackerman was more than capable of doing so despite his smaller size. Erwin tried once more to employ a combination of logic and authority.

"That's enough! Yes, I told Hange that you have issues with being obsessive and compulsive. She was upset, and I informed her that she should not be trying to measure herself by your standards. She feels like she's a bad mother."

Levi's pupils widened, and he visibly relaxed. "Why the hell would she think _that_?"

Seeing that he'd gotten through to Levi a bit, Erwin also relaxed. "Because you're so diligent. She doesn't feel she's measuring up, Levi. I wasn't trying to insult you; I was merely pointing out that you are naturally inclined to be on top of things. It's a fine quality for a soldier _and_ a father, but she's struggling to keep up. Don't forget that Hange is an old friend. I wasn't trying to step on your toes."

"I see." Levi's troubled gaze dropped to the floor. "She really thinks she's not a good mother?"

Erwin sighed. "Levi, she is still hormonal and she's just as new to this as you are. I'm giving you both grace and allowing you to settle in. It's going to take some time."

"She's a wonderful mother, though," muttered Levi as if he hadn't heard him. "She doesn't bitch about having to feed him, she doesn't complain about getting woken up all the time and she's not nearly as paranoid as I am about other people handling him. Why would she think she sucks?"

Erwin approached the smaller man carefully, and he laid his hand on his shoulder. "Tell all of this to _her_ , Levi. I imagine she needs to hear it from you. You're clearly doing your best to help her, and that's been misinterpreted. Let her know she's a good mother, and let's just forget about this misunderstanding."

Levi actually looked somewhat contrite. The baby fussed and he patted Evan's back to calm him, twisting back and forth with the infant against his shoulder. "I guess I should apologize."

Erwin smirked at him. "No, that wouldn't be your style."

"Heh. If you say so." Levi hesitated as he turned to go. He adjusted the baby in his arms, and he looked over his shoulder at the commander. "I'll pull it together. Sorry I jumped your ass like that."

Erwin nodded cordially. "You're a new father. This time, you get a pass."

* * *

"Hange."

She looked up from the research journal she was scanning, and she blinked at her husband. "Yes, what is it, Levi? Does Evan need another feeding?"

Levi glanced at the infant in his arms. "Possibly, but there's something you need to know, first."

Hange pushed her glasses up on her nose, bracing herself mentally. "What is it, darling?"

Levi carried the baby over to the bassinet in the corner of the room, and he carefully laid him down. He straightened up again. He walked over to her with a completely serious expression, and he bent over to stare her in the eyes.

"You are not a bad mother. I need you to know that right now."

Hange stared back at him. "Oh."

She immediately started to tear up. She cursed herself silently. "Ah, darling. I didn't mean…when I spoke to you…"

"It's okay." Levi went over and sat down on the bed, and he patted the spot next to him invitingly. When she joined him, he sighed. "Hey, I've got issues. You can't keep up with me, and you shouldn't even try. It makes me sick to think of you even trying."

She joined him a bit hesitantly. "You're just so…fast."

"I'm fast," admitted Levi with a smirk, "but I'm not perfect. I can change the diaper and I can try to ease stomach cramps, but I can't feed him. I can't sing to him like you do. I could try, but goat's milk and my shitty voice are a poor substitute for what he gets from his mother."

Hange laughed at that. "You do have a pretty awful singing voice. Ah, Levi…I don't know why I've been feeling like this."

"Hormones," he excused, "and from what I understand, new mothers tend to put a shit-ton of pressure on themselves. Relax. You're doing just fine, okay? I don't need you having a stroke and leaving me to raise this kid on my own. Don't keep doing this to yourself. Evan and I _both_ need you, Hange. Never doubt that."

She wiped at her eyes again and she sniffled. "Okay, handsome. As long as you support me, I'm going to try to slow down and stop fretting."

Levi nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Good. I sure as hell can't do this without you."

She smiled at him, and it seemed like a weight had been lifted. Hange cupped his face in her hands, and she kissed him soundly. "I don't think I've told you today that I love you, Captain Cranky."

"Hmm, not today, yet." He kissed her back, and his fingers slid through her messily bound hair. Their son began to fuss, and Levi paused to regard him. "There's that feeding issue I mentioned. I'll bring him to you."

"Thank you, my dear."

Hange's expression of gratitude wasn't just for Levi's diligence in bringing their son to her. Once again, she had to appreciate him for his devotion to both her and their child. She had actually been praying to Petra earlier, before he came in to speak with her. She'd been begging her friend's spirit to lend her strength and be a better mother and wife. Petra was Hange's angel now, and she completely believed that she was watching over her and Levi. She could even imagine the deceased ginger standing over Evan's bassinet, smiling down at him. Though she and Levi rarely spoke of her these days, she knew that he still thought of her, and Hange was fine with that. She just hoped she was doing a good enough job taking care of him, as she'd promised Petra she would do from the day she realized how her feelings for Levi had evolved.

"Hello, my special little man," cooed Hange as Levi deposited the infant into her waiting arms. She unbuttoned her shirt and she held the infant against her as she gave him her breast. "Mommy loves you very much. So does Daddy…even though he's a grouch."

Levi sat down beside her, and he put one arm around her and watched as she fed the child. "And Mommy should stop picking on Daddy, else he's going to get grouchier."

She chuckled and she kissed Levi on the cheek. "Point taken, sweetheart. Mommy is lucky to have such a supportive Daddy, though."

"I'm not going to keep up with this 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' thing," warned Levi, "but let's say I'm grateful I've got a determined wife."

She smiled, relaxing against him as she fed their son. Levi watched over it quietly, supportive yet silent. He didn't interrupt with questions and he didn't have any complaints. He was simply there, available for both mother and child should either require anything. Hange smiled in satisfaction and she felt foolish for her earlier concerns. Levi was a good man, whether he believed it or not. She made a vow to herself then and there to prove it to him.

* * *

-To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

_Three months later:_

They were getting prepared to go on Hange's first expedition since she'd given birth, and Erwin had taken the trouble of finding them a lactating nanny to stay at the keep and watch over Evan in their absence. She was a young woman in her twenties with an infant daughter of her own. Erwin had even hired a carriage to bring her from the Trost district to headquarters. Her name was Katherine Holtz. She was fair skinned and freckled, with curly red-brown hair, green eyes and a curvaceous figure.

"She looks shady," Levi muttered sidelong to Hange as the nanny gently scooped up Evan and began to familiarize herself with him. The nanny's own child was sleeping in the bassinet she'd brought with her. "I don't trust her."

Hange sighed. "Levi, you're going to have to trust someone else with our child, sooner or later. This was the best choice available to us. It's either Katherine, or one of us will have to stay behind. Seeing as you lack breasts, it would probably have to be me."

"Then maybe we should do that," suggested Levi hopefully.

"No." Hange compressed her lips and shook her head. "Out of the question. I've missed out on four expeditions now. It's my turn to get out into the field, Levi."

He sighed, and he looked at the nanny with narrowed eyes.

"Stop fucking glaring at her like that," Hange whispered in his ear. "Do you want to scare off the only babysitter we have?"

His lips thinned, and he tried to adjust his expression so that he wouldn't scare the girl. She wasn't paying him any attention anyhow. She was absorbed in getting to know Evan, and Levi began to relax when she hummed a little and bounced him. Evan gurgled and he reached up with a chubby little hand to grab one of Katherine's spiraled curls.

"Hmph. I guess she's okay," the captain finally muttered. "Evan seems to like her well enough."

"Thank God," sighed Hange. She squeezed Levi around the shoulders. "Erwin hand-picked her for us, grump. I'm sure he would never send for anyone he thought might be the slightest threat to our precious boy. You trust the commander's judgment, don't you?"

"Of course," he admitted grudgingly. His tension faded further when Katherine noticed the baby needed changing and she immediately took him to the changing table by the window to clean him up and put on a fresh nappy. "Yeah, okay. She seems to know what she's doing, and she can feed him properly. You know I'd offer to stay behind to watch over him, but—"

"We don't want to feed him goat's milk," finished Hange for him with a smirk. "I know, cutie. I'm sure Evan will be fine for a few days with her watching over him. You're just paranoid and jealous."

"I'm not jealous," grumbled Levi with a huff. He didn't bother arguing the "paranoid" observation. He knew damned well he was overprotective of his tiny son. He didn't even like their comrades handling Evan for too long.

"You totally are," countered Hange with a chuckle. "I'm the only one that can get away with holding that child for longer than two minutes without you scowling."

"Whatever," groused the captain. "So you're satisfied with this lady taking care of him while we're away?"

Hange started to nod, but then Katherine finished changing Evan and she adjusted her blouse to give him her breast. Her eyes narrowed. "I…I…"

Levi smirked. " _Now_ who's being jealous?"

"I'm not…"

Levi grabbed her ponytail to pull her head down so that he could whisper into her ear, too dignified to stand on his tiptoes to do it. "You're fucking jealous, shitty glasses. The sight of another woman breast-feeding him sticks in your craw, doesn't it?"

She groaned softly, closing her eyes to shut out the image. "Fine. I don't like it, okay? He's only had _my_ milk up until now and regardless of logic, it bothers me. Happy?"

"No," he assured her softly, easing his hold on her hair to give it a brief, affectionate stroke. "I'm not a bit happy…but at least now I know I'm not the only parent with issues over this."

"Apparently not." Hange sighed, and she laid her cheek briefly against Levi's shoulder. "We're both just going to have to deal with it, if we're to stay on active duty. She seems like a nice girl and Evan clearly likes her. She wouldn't _dare_ screw up. She would have every scout in our squad all over her."

"Easy, four eyes," muttered Levi when he saw that "look" in her eyes. "Keep it sane. Shit, and you were worried about _me_ scaring her away."

The horn blew outside, signaling for all attending scouts to mount up and join the formation. Hange bit her lip, and she patted Levi familiarly on the rump. "I guess we'd better say our goodbyes to the rugrat, my dear."

"Yeah, I guess so," Levi agreed softly. "Let's try not to scare the shit out of the nanny, Hange."

She chuckled. "After you, my dear."

Levi breathed a sigh, and he approached Katherine with the most relaxed expression on his face that he could muster. "Can you stop for a minute? His mother and I have to leave, and we'd like to hold him one last time."

"Oh, of course, Captain Levi." Katherine gently detached the baby and adjusted her top, before handing him over to Levi.

Evan fussed a bit over having his meal interrupted, but knowing the risk of death he would be riding into, Levi put aside any guilt. He took the infant in his arms and he gazed down at him as he carried him over to Hange, rocking him soothingly. Evan's whimpers died down and he gazed up at his parents, blinking inquisitively. "Buhh?"

Hange smiled, and she put one arm around Levi while gently stroking the dark down of soft hair on the baby's head. "Hi, sweetheart. Listen, Mommy and Daddy have to go away for a few days…but we'll be back! That's my promise to you."

"You can't promise him that, Hange," reminded Levi in a whisper.

"Shh, quiet, you pessimist," she admonished. She addressed the baby again. "Don't listen to the grumpy papa. No matter what, _one_ of us will always come back to you, Evan." She bent over to kiss Evan's soft cheek.

Levi saw a glint of tears in her eyes as she straightened back up. "It's okay," he told her when she hastily wiped at her eyes. "Hange, if you're having second thoughts, it's all right."

"No," she said, shaking her head. She forced a trembling smile. "No, I'm a scout. I'm coming with. I know that Evan will understand, when he's older."

"Right." Levi didn't try to convince her otherwise. He knew that was going to be her answer, even though a part of him did want her to stay safe at home. He shoved aside the unfair desire, reminding himself that he knew it was going to be this way. He looked down at the baby in his arms and he tried to think of something to say.

"Try to be good for the nanny, brat. She put herself out to come here and take care of you for us." He reluctantly handed the baby back to Katherine. "Take good care of him for us…whatever happens."

"Absolutely, sir." She smiled sympathetically at both of them. "I'll pray for you and your squad to return safely. Thank you for your service to humanity."

Levi decided then that this nanny was all right.

* * *

"So, you both made it," Erwin stated as Levi and Hange got into formation at the gate. He nodded at them. "Your presence is very welcome."

"Thanks, Erwin," Hange sniffled. She blew her nose on the handkerchief that Levi had given to her, struggling to reconcile feelings of motherly guilt.

"Mrs. Holtz is very good with children," Erwin reassured her. "She's a school teacher, you know. A widow. Her husband passed just two months before she had their child…stabbed to death when he tried to break up a fight in his tavern. I thought she could use the extra money, and the two of you could use a reliable nanny. It will work out, you'll see."

"I still can't believe you're going beyond the wall," Hange noted, glancing at the limply hanging jacket sleeve where Erwin's other arm used to be. "Are you sure about this, commander?"

"Not in the slightest," answered Erwin with a dry smirk. "I can't keep hiding behind a desk while my men go out risking their lives, however. I'm confident that Armin's alterations to my ODM gear will allow me to take an active part in combat if I must, though. The boy is quite ingenious."

Levi glanced back at Eren and his friends from the 104th training squad. "Yes, he is. The fact that all of them have stayed alive for this long speaks in their favor."

"Very talented kids," agreed Hange, finally stemming the flow of tears. She cast a smile back at the group. "I'm attached to them."

"Then stay vigilant and help keep them focused," suggested Erwin. "That will keep your mind occupied and sharp, Hange."

Hange nodded. Her maternal instincts were raging, right now. Heaven help any titan that tried to eat any of those kids on her watch. Her hawkish features hardened with determination. "I'm ready to ride, commander."

Beside her, Levi nodded in agreement. "Let's advance. We're losing travel time, standing around jawing like this."

"Excellent idea." Erwin turned in the saddle to do a quick head count, and once he was satisfied that all participating members were present, he made the call to advance. The platoon took off and they headed for the district that they would be meeting up with the rest of the squad and exiting from.

* * *

"Hey four eyes, are you feeling okay or what?"

Hange turned to regard her husband as he galloped up into her ranks from his own team to check on her. She smiled at him, used to his gruff mannerisms. "I'm fine, my dear. That last titan encounter really put the pep back into me!"

Levi nodded. "Just stay alert," he advised, and then he fell back to rejoin his squad. It wasn't that he didn't believe she could handle herself. He knew that she was more than capable. This was her first expedition since they found out she was pregnant though, and even a man as cool-headed as Levi tended to be wasn't immune to protective feelings for the mother of his child. He scowled at Sasha when she gave him a knowing smile as he got back into his place in formation.

"What are you staring at, brat?"

She quickly looked away to hide her warm expression of delight. "Nothing, Captain. Sorry."

Levi would have admonished her for sticking her potato-loving nose into his business, but several red flares went up from the west. The left wing spotters were embattled. The purple flares went up, signaling for help. He forgot his irritation with Sasha. There were more important matters to deal with.

"Levi squad, cut away from the main platoon and follow me," he called out. "Our allies need assistance. Keep the danger away from the front and center command ranks."

"Yes sir," cried the squad, and they followed him off to the west, where the spotters were now fighting for their lives.

* * *

Hange bit her lip when she saw Levi's squad break away from the main formation to assist the spotters, far off in the distance. She nearly broke away from the platoon to follow, but Erwin barked a sharp order at her.

"Hange! I need seasoned officers remaining in my ranks. Let the captain's team handle that."

She growled softly under her breath, but she didn't disobey his orders. Levi would be fine. He would be fine.

* * *

"Sir, you're hurt!" Eren landed beside Levi and he stood over him protectively as the rest of the team went to work on the remaining titans. Mikasa and Jean tore through the enemy ranks, with Sasha and Connie following their lead.

Levi pressed a hand against the bleeding gash in his side, shaking off disorientation. He'd again saved Eren's sorry ass, intervening before the ten-meter titan could snatch up the reckless idiot. He'd taken it down, but in the process, another smaller titan had grabbed his wire and reefed him into a tree. He got caught on a sharp branch, and he barely managed to twist aside and avoid slamming into the trunk. He'd landed safely enough, but then he felt the sticky wetness making his shirt cling to him and he finally realized he'd been gashed.

"I'll be fine," stated the captain evenly. He checked his blades and his equipment. "Eren, do not assume titan form unless directed to, understand?"

Eren nodded. "Of course, sir. Let me help you up."

Levi accepted his offered hand, and he grunted as he got back to his feet with Eren's assistance. He looked around to assess the situation, pressing his lips together and fighting back pain. "Concentrate on freeing any scouts caught up in the grasp of a titan first," he hollered to his team. "We'll clean these bastards up after that."

His team redoubled their efforts, striving to follow his orders and save whom they could. Levi ignored his wound and he joined them with Eren at his side. He took out two titans before they could devour the soldiers they had in their hands, and then he moved on with his bloodied blades drawn and ready. Levi hopped off tree limbs as he closed in on his next target, his face grimly set and his hair steaming with titan blood. He grunted and growled as he dove down from the canopy and sliced another titan's nape out. His work was sloppier than usual, but no less deadly.

"Sir, we can finish the rest," Mikasa advised when Levi paused on a tree limb and panted softly. "You should rest!"

"Yeah, we've got this," Jean called, swooping down to land nearby. "I don't know how much of that blood is yours, but Hange will have our asses if we let you keep going like this."

"It's not Hange's call. I'm fine." Levi replaced his blades and he clenched his jaw against his discomfort. "Besides, she'll have _my_ ass if I let anything happen to you brats. Let's finish this together."

* * *

"Scout Leader, I see them," Armin announced after checking the dust cloud he'd spotted behind them. He closed up his spyglass and replaced it. "The captain is leading them back into formation! Everyone looks okay, more or less."

Hange breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over her shoulder and she squinted at the riders in the distance. It was impossible to tell who was who from this far without visual aid, but she counted heads and she confirmed that every member of the Levi Squad seemed to be accounted for.

"Erwin, I'm breaking formation to check on Levi's team!"

"Hange, wait…"

She turned her mount around and galloped off, ignoring the commander. She heard him curse, but her thoughts were only on her husband and those kids on his team. Erwin would forgive her, she was certain. They were in the clear now and on a steady path.

"Hyah!" She urged her horse to greater speed, and when she met up with Levi's team and saw the captain, she realized that the blood staining his right side was his, due to the fact that it wasn't steaming. "Levi, what happened?"

"A fucking tree attacked me," snapped the captain. "What are you doing out of formation, Hange?"

"Checking on my man, of course." She wasted no time on apology, and she urged her horse up close to his. "Levi, that's a lot of blood. You need to put a compress on it right away and let me see to it as soon as we stop for a rest!"

"I know. It's going to be fine, shitty glasses. Just get back into formation where you're supposed to be, for now."

She accepted his lecture, and she cast one more worried look his way before blowing him a kiss. "I'll see you soon, darling. Don't let the testosterone make you foolish, all right? You _need_ your blood."

"No shit." Levi's expression softened a little. "Go on, Hange. I'm not going to die on you."

"You'd better not, shrimp."

* * *

They stopped at the first waypoint; a supply base established nearly a year ago. Familiar with the layout due to the many times they had made camp at this particular base, Hange immediately set up a temporary infirmary in one of the buildings. Most of them were dilapidated, but there were a few like this one that Survey Corps had repaired to be serviceable again. "Bring Captain Levi and any other wounded in here immediately," she ordered her assistant. "I don't want anyone's injuries to fester; least of all my grump's."

Moblit saluted her and he took off to retrieve the captain, while Hange unrolled a pallet for Levi to rest on. She unrolled two more of them on the floor by the time Moblit returned, supporting Levi carefully while trying not to cause friction against his injured right side.

"Thank you, Moblit. Bring him to this pallet and help him out of his gear and shirt for me." Hange was rolling out her medical instruments on the table. She smiled a little when she heard Levi grumbling crossly, complaining the whole way. At least her little love had enough pep to bitch about being "coddled". That probably meant he would be all right.

"I've got it," Levi insisted as Moblit started working his harness straps free.

"Sir, you really should conserve your energy," Moblit argued nervously. "I'm only following my orders."

Levi sighed and allowed the blond man to take care of it. "Oi, Hange…what's that bottle you just got out?"

She grimaced a little, knowing how stubborn Levi could be about drinking any of her medicinal brews. "Just a little something to take the edge off, Levi. Moblit, were there any more injuries that require immediate attention?"

"Nothing serious, ma'am," answered her assistant. "Some of the survivors from the spotters have some minor abrasions. I can take care of administering first aid to them while you see to the captain. There's no need to divide your attention."

She nodded gratefully. Moblit was trying to give her some privacy to see to her husband, and she loved him for that. "Thanks, dear."

"I'm not drinking any of your weird potions," warned Levi stubbornly with a grunt as Moblit finished helping him out of his shirt.

"Oh, yes you are." Hange compressed her lips. Moblit left the building while she set out the topical anesthetic and procured a roll of gauze from her supply box.

"Like hell I am."

Hange turned around to regard her volatile spouse, and she shook a finger at him. "Don't you sass me right now, Ackerman. I don't know how bad that wound is yet, but your pallor and the amount of blood on your shirt tells me you're at least going to need something to help with a low blood count. If you want to stay in pain then be my guest, but I'm not going to risk letting you bleed out on me."

Levi sighed. "It isn't that bad."

Hange glanced at the bloodied dressing that had been hastily applied to the wound while in transit. "That binding is already soaked, lover. Don't be stupid and just cooperate with me."

That being said, she carried her instrument tray over to his pallet and she propped the legs open to support it, before setting it on the stone floor. She then retrieved the medicinal items she would need and she sat down beside Levi.

"Now lift your arms for me—carefully. Try not to strain the injury and open it up further."

The captain obeyed, and she took note of his subtle wince as he slowly raised his arms. Yes, he was in pain…probably much more pain than he let on. Hange estimated that another soldier might be on the verge of passing out by now, but Levi was so damned stoic it was difficult to tell just how much pain he was in.

"Hey, wait. Are your hands dirty?"

"No, silly. I washed them in the bowl over there while Moblit was out retrieving you. I would never treat your wounds with dirty hands!" Hange clucked her tongue. "Besides, look at this. Gloves!"

She waved the sterile medical gloves before his eyes before pulling them on, and she chuckled at his annoyed look. "Really, Levi. As if I would be so careless with my own husband. Shame on you."

"Sometimes I can't be sure with you," he muttered. He held still as Hange began to carefully remove the soiled dressing covering his injury, and he winced again when it stuck to his gash.

Hange winced herself in sympathy, and she met his hooded gaze. "I've got to pull it free, sweetheart. This is going to get uncomfortable for a moment. Are you _sure_ you don't want to drink a little pain tonic? I can give you a numbing shot once I've got it exposed, but—"

"Just finish," he ordered.

"Tsk, tsk. All right, impatient. Have it your way."

As gently as possible, she eased the bandaging away. Levi jerked a little in reflexive pain as it peeled off, and Hange whispered an apology to him for hurting him. When she saw the length and depth of the gash—as well as the redness and swelling around it—she sighed.

"Oh, Levi."

"This is nothing," he insisted, keeping his right arm lifted and bent with his hand behind his head. "I've earned worse scars in the battlefield."

"True," she agreed softly, her gaze tracing some of those scars briefly. Fortunately the captain was a fast healer, and most of them had faded. Still, there was already infection setting in because the stubborn little shit had refused to have it seen to professionally right away.

"All right, we'll get it cleaned up first, and then I'll numb it, apply some astringent and get it sutured up," Hange explained, used to talking her patients through the process so there were no surprises. "I'm going to apply an antibiotic ointment to it after I finish stitching it, and I'll give you an antibiotic shot as well. I don't want this thing getting any angrier than it is now."

"I know the process," he reminded her dryly. "How many times have you treated my injuries now, Hange? You don't have to tell me everything you're doing each time."

Hange shrugged, and she wet a gauze pad with some warm water to start the initial cleaning. "It's just habit, Levi. I get a lot of rookies on my 'table' that are scared and inexperienced with having serious injuries. I like to reassure them and keep them calm while I'm working over them."

Levi looked at her thoughtfully. "Huh. I guess you _do_ have a decent bedside manner. I never really noticed before."

"That's because you're always so busy trying to rush it and get it over with," she guessed. She began to gently bathe away the blood so that she could see better, and she paused to adjust her crystal lantern for more light. "Oh dear…you've got some foreign bodies in here."

Levi's brows furrowed. "What the hell does _that_ mean?"

"It means that tree really got you good," explained Hange in a distracted manner. "There are bits of bark lodged in here. It looks like part of a twig is wedged in as well. I'm going to have to extract them before I go any further. Damn it, Levi! Why didn't you let me see to this immediately? No wonder it's gotten infected!"

He remained mute, which was a sign of contrition from him. Maybe she was finally getting through to him. Hange sighed as she finished cleaning it, and she peered at Levi's face, noting the slight flush on his cheeks. She abruptly pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Shouldn't you save the kisses for afterwards?" suggested Levi softly.

"I'm checking your temperature," she mumbled. "My hands are covered, so I can't rely on them to gauge your body heat and my thermometer is in the supply box."

"Oh."

Hange pulled back and she looked at him with concern. "You're getting feverish, Levi. I'll take your temperature with the thermometer after I finish with this to find out just how high it is, but I think you need to take a fever reducer, as well."

"That's a lot of medication you're pushing on me." He stated it as a fact, rather than an argument.

"There's no 'one shot fixes all', my dear. I have to treat all of your symptoms, not just the injury itself."

Hange turned away briefly to get a fresh gauze, and she put some numbing solution on it. She examined his injury and decided on the best site to inject the local, before wiping the area to sterilize it and numb it a bit. That done, she opened up a syringe and she filled it. "Okay Levi. This is going to sting a little, but I've numbed the spot a little so it should be bearable."

He sighed. "Hange, I've sutured my own cuts myself before without anything to numb it. You don't have to keep bracing me. Just do it, okay?"

"Again, it's habit. Besides, you're my man. You can't blame me for wanting to cause you as little pain as possible." She administered the shot, and Levi held perfectly still for her, his only expression of pain being a tensing of his eyebrows and a slight grimace.

Hange pressed a fresh pressure bandage against the wound and she held it there to control the bleeding while they waited for the anesthetic to take effect. "Tell me when it feels numb, Levi."

"It's fine," he informed her. "Just do what you have to do. I can handle it."

She grumbled with annoyance, but she complied. First she extracted all of the plant matter from the wound, and she winced each time her husband made a soft sound of discomfort. By the time she finished with that he was evidently numb, because he stopped grunting in pain when she began cleaning it more thoroughly with astringent. Hange worked as quickly as she dared, keeping the stitching as even as possible so that it would heal with minimal scarring. She was sweating by the time she finished, and she grabbed a cloth to wipe off her forehead.

"Okay my dear, the worst of it is over," she announced. She applied the ointment and she dressed the wound lightly, wanting to give it the chance to breathe a little overnight. "You can put your arm down, now."

Levi complied, and Hange gave him one more shot to combat the infection. That done, she removed her gloves and she poured him a dose of tonic into a dosage glass. "Down the hatch, Ackerman."

He frowned at the glass she was offering him. "I don't think so."

Hange clicked her tongue, annoyed. "This isn't up for debate, you miniature terror. As I said before, you need a blood tonic, and you also need a fever reducer and something to ease aches and pains. Oh, and you've had a tetanus shot recently, haven't you?"

"Yeah, during my last physical just five months ago. I'm still not drinking any of your shitty tonics."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Levi!" Hange would have stomped her foot if she'd been standing. "Why do you enjoy suffering?"

"I don't. If I did, I'd be all for drinking that stuff." He shrugged.

Hange's eyes flashed, and she grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back. Forcing the glass to his gasping lips, she growled in his face. "Drink it!"

"Fuck you," he gritted.

"If you were at full strength, I would never be able to manhandle you this way," she reasoned in an intense murmur. "You're weakened. You need to recover your strength. Now, drink it."

"Not a chance."

Hange sighed, but then an idea came to her. Physical force wasn't the best way to deal with the captain's stubbornness. She had one other card up her sleeve, and she loosened her hold on his hair to stroke it. She sweetened her tone.

"Levi, I'm your baby's mother…"

His eyes widened slightly. "Oh no. Don't you dare."

"…And if I can't take care of you when you're hurting, how can I take care of our son? Please, for me?"

He glared at her. "That's emotional blackmail, you bitch."

She smiled tenderly at him. "I just want you to get better, sweetheart. Please? I'll blow you later on after you recover if you'll do this for me."

"Now you're adding sexual favors to the mix?" He snorted, and then he sighed. "Fine. Give me the damned poison…but I want water to chase it with or I might not keep it down."

She beamed at her success, and she nodded. "Of course! I've got my canteen on me."

"Then get it open and ready," he demanded.

Hange set the glass of medicine on her collapsible tray and she quickly unfastened her canteen from her harness. She unscrewed the top so that it would be ready for him, and she offered the tonic to him again. "Bottom's up, handsome."

Levi took the dose, frowned at it suspiciously, and then chugged it down. He gagged and reached for the water canteen while Hange retrieved the dosage glass and poured tonic from another bottle into it. She waited for Levi to finish washing the last one down, and she held out the second dose. "This one is for the fever."

He grumbled and he took it, with the same results as before. Hange poured yet another dosage from a third bottle, and Levi's expression became comically horrified. "I thought you said there were only two."

"No, I said you need the blood tonic, a fever reducer and a pain reliever."

"Then what was the first one?" He demanded.

"That was the blood tonic. This one is for pain and to help you sleep." She shrugged and she held the glass out to him coaxingly. "Come on, cutie. Do it for your shitty glasses."

"Christ, four eyes. Who says you aren't good at torture? This had better be the last."

"It is," she answered. "I promise. Just one more, and you can lay down and rest."

"Fuck my life," he grunted. Levi took the glass, sniffed at it and wrinkled his nose. He sighed at her expectant look, and he drank it down.

"Okay, that one wasn't so bad," he muttered as he washed it down with more water. "I need to brush my teeth now, or this aftertaste is going to make me vomit."

"I'll go and fetch your toothbrush and mouthwash from your saddlebags," she offered, gently pressing on his shoulders. "You just lie back and try to relax."

"You ought to force some of that shit down the throat of the next person we need information from," groused Levi as he complied and lay down on the pallet. "They'll start singing like a canary in no time."

She chuckled and she bent over him to kiss him softly on the lips. "Maybe I will. I'll be right back, Levi."

* * *

Once she retrieved Levi's toothbrush for him and helped him clean his mouth out, Hange left him resting to go and find Erwin. He was in the command tent, going over some things with a couple of officers. It was times like these that Hange missed Mike even more. She still kept expecting to find him in the command tent when she went to discuss plans of further advancement with the commander.

"So what are we looking at?" she asked as she joined the three men inside.

"I'm considering pressing on to the next supply base today," Erwin said, his eyes on the map. He pointed it out. "We could make it before sunset, if we keep a good pace."

Hange crossed her arms over her chest, and she shook her head. "I'm afraid that's a negative, Commander. The captain has an infection and a fever. Bits of the tree limb he gashed himself on were stuck in his wound. I've sutured it, given him antibiotics and treated him for his fever and blood loss, but he needs to at least rest overnight. I'm sure of all the soldiers in this platoon, he's the one you least want to lose."

Erwin looked up at her. "I see. If his condition is that bad, we may have to scrub this mission and return to the wall." He didn't look pleased with the prospect, but Erwin was as practical as he was ambitious. He wouldn't dare risk losing his right-hand man.

"Why don't we just see how he's feeling in the morning?" Hange suggested. "You know how Levi's constitution is, sir. He recovers faster than most, and I don't half step with medicine. I'm not saying he'll be fit to take down a dozen titans by morning, but we do have a lot of skilled soldiers like Mikasa that could probably make up for the temporary loss of his combat prowess. He should still be capable of riding and issuing orders to his squad."

And she knew that Levi would feel the same way, himself.

Erwin smiled slightly. "This is why I value the two of you so much. Very well. We'll remain here until morning, and depending on Captain Levi's condition, we'll decide from there. Good work, Hange."

* * *

Later that evening around sunset, Erwin went to the infirmary building to check on Levi's condition. The door creaked as he pushed it open and he walked in. "Hange, how is he?"

He fell silent when he saw that both Levi and Hange were asleep on the floor. Hange had scooted one of the other pallets up to Levi's, and she lay with her head on his chest and one arm around him. Levi likewise had his left arm around her from beneath in a loose embrace. Hange's glasses were lying on the floor near her, and she was snoring softly. Levi appeared a bit pale, but Erwin could see that he was sweating. That meant his fever was broken, and that was good.

Erwin smiled quietly at the scene. He never would have imagined the two of them getting together and having a child. He'd been concerned that separation anxiety might have a negative impact on their performance in the field, but he felt more confident now. Yes, Levi had gotten injured and Hange broke formation against his orders, but neither of those factors were necessarily unusual. Even soldiers as powerful as the captain often got hurt on missions, and Hange was notoriously impulsive. That she'd ignored orders to chase after her husband rather than a titan this time wasn't a crippling detriment, and she had come right back.

"Sleep well," murmured Erwin.

He turned and left, closing the door as quietly as possible behind him. He spotted Moblit approaching down the path and he stopped him before the man could go into the infirmary. "They're both resting. Don't disturb them."

Moblit nodded and gave a salute. "Yes sir. I'll check on them in the morning."

Erwin walked back to the command tent. Even though he might have to abort the mission, there was a chance they could still press on. In that light, he needed to be sure he planned ahead. There was still so much unclaimed territory to chart.

* * *

-To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemon warning, and omg I'm sorry it took me so long to update this one!

"How are you feeling, my dear?" Hange had woken Levi up so that he could eat the breakfast she'd prepared for him. He peered blearily at the plate of buttered toast as he struggled into a sitting position.

"Better than I was feeling last night," Levi confessed. He took the offering and he bit into one of the pieces of toast.

"Good!" Hange smiled at him, and he paused to admire her.

Noticing his stare, Hange blushed a little. She combed her fingers through her bound hair and she glanced at Levi almost sheepishly. "I know I'm a mess. I tried to clean up a bit, but there's only so much I can do out here."

"You look fine," Levi said softly. "In fact, you look pretty."

Hange blushed deeper. "You don't have to pay lip service to me, tiny captain. I know I'm—"

Levi grabbed her around the waist and he pulled her on top of him. "It's not lip service," he insisted, kissing her briefly. "You're the mother of my child, and whether you're covered in titan blood or squeaky clean, I'm going to think you're pretty. Even if I give you grief over your personal hygiene habits, that isn't going to change."

The thrill of warmth she felt in response to those softly proclaimed words made Hange grin like a teenager. She kissed the tip of Levi's nose, and then she planted another kiss on his mouth. "You really are the best husband. I love the shit out of you, midget."

He gave her ass a swat. "Stop calling me that, asshole."

Hange chuckled in delight, and she nibbled his ear. "How is your wound? I should have a look at it."

Levi didn't protest as she levered herself off of him and peeled aside the bandages to examine his injury. Hange assessed it with a critical eye, and she got up to get some more herbal astringent to rub on it. "Looks like there's no further infection. Do you think you're feeling well enough to continue the expedition, Levi?"

He nodded. "Absolutely. It was only a minor scratch."

Hange snorted, and she tried to ignore her husband's pained grunts as she applied the ointment. "You really are the most stubborn little shit I've ever known."

* * *

"He's recovering fast and he's ready to ride out," Hange informed the commander a short while later. "I will say that I would appreciate it if you would avoid command decisions that might force him into combat, Erwin."

The tall blond commander nodded in agreement. "Of course. I understand, and I will comply with your wishes."

Hange smirked. "He's not going to like this at all, you know. He's probably going to bitch about it, in fact."

Erwin chuckled softly. "I have no doubt. Don't worry though; I'll handle him."

* * *

"What am I, some invalid?" Levi crossed his arms over his chest and he glared at his wife and the commander. "I can handle myself."

"Yes you can," stated Erwin patiently, "However, you've suffered a rather extensive injury in the field, and your wife insists that you remain out of combat. I am not going to argue with her on that."

Levi's annoyed glare shifted from Erwin to Hange, and she bit her lip contritely. She wasn't going to back down, though. Not even Levi was that quick to recover. "You need to take it easy for a few days, sweetheart. We aren't telling you to put yourself completely out of commission. You just need to let that gash heal for a few days, before directly engaging any titans."

"It's practically healed up already," informed Levi, his crabby look never leaving him. "You're both being paranoid."

"You are my best soldier," Erwin said in a chastising tone. "I could try to replace you with Mikasa if I had to, but I would really rather not. Why not just accept the R&R and enjoy it, Levi? You aren't getting fired or replaced; you're being granted a rest."

Erwin glanced down at the limp sleeve covering the stump where his arm used to be, and he smirked ruefully. "Believe me, my friend; I know how frustrating it is to find oneself compromised."

Levi grimaced at the reminder of his commander's handicap. By rights, Erwin shouldn't even be actively participating in these missions, and yet the stubborn bastard persisted. "All right, fine. I'll play along with it until I've recovered my strength."

Erwin nodded. "Good. I'm sure you'll be recovered enough to be back in combat within a couple of days, given how quickly you tend to heal up."

The captain looked up at his wife doubtfully. "Not if _she_ has anything to say about it, I'm sure."

Hange grinned at him, and she bent down to kiss the crown of Levi's head. "You can sulk about it all you want, cutie. I'm not going to let my child's father put himself at un-necessary risk."

"Tch. Whatever."

* * *

Hange felt a little bad about keeping Levi out of the action. As they pressed on, he rode in one of the covered wagons and she did her best to make him comfortable. She heard him cussing up a storm when a deviant titan closed in on the center command rank, and while she took it down with the assistance of Mikasa and Sasha, she heard Levi shouting instructions. She assured him that they could deal with it, and shortly after that the enemy fell in a steaming, disintegrating heap. Deciding that she needed to make it up to him, Hange told Moblit to take over command of her squad for a while. She rode to the wagon that her husband was in, and she nimbly climbed off her mount to crawl into the back of it and join him.

"Hello there, handsome," greeted Hange with a smile as Levi glanced up from the book he was reading. He looked almost unreasonably sexy, leaning back against the pillows she'd piled up for cushioning. She'd given him the royal treatment, coddling him in an effort to pacify his frustration. For once he wasn't wearing his cravat, and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone, displaying a tantalizing view of his clavicle.

"Hello, taskmistress," grumbled Levi. He bookmarked his place and set his reading material aside. "I'm bored as hell, thanks to you."

Hange clucked her tongue. "Why Levi, if I were a taskmistress, I'd be cracking a whip at you right now, urging you to your feet instead of making you stay off of them!"

"Hmph. Then let's just call you a killjoy," he revised. His actions belied his harsh words though, for as she crawled over to him to join him, he laid his head against her shoulder endearingly. "I'm so damned bored."

"Aww, my cranky little love." Hange nuzzled his dark hair, and she rubbed his right thigh. "I'm sorry you're so bored. I know how you like to be in the thick of things. Let me make it up to you."

Levi raised his forehead off of her shoulder, and his pale gaze was intrigued. "How exactly do you plan to do that, shitty glasses?"

She chuckled, sliding her hand further up his thigh. With her other hand, she began flicking open more buttons on his shirt. "How does an attentive wife _usually_ pacify her husband, silly?"

Levi visibly swallowed, though his expression remained calm and difficult to read. "It's broad daylight and we're surrounded by our men," he whispered in a cautionary tone. He put his hand on the one creeping up his thigh to discourage it from getting too intimate.

Hange nibbled his ear, smiling against the sensitive flesh as Levi shivered in response. He had such cute little ears. "It's been a good while since we fooled around, Levi. You have needs just like any other man, and I miss seeing your orgasm face."

"So you decide to fool around in the back of a medical wagon where anyone could hear us or peep on us?" he demanded. "Not to mention, you haven't been on your birth control since we had Evan. Are you in such a hurry to give him a little brother or sister, after bitching so much about missing out on expeditions?"

"Well no," she admitted, still slowly creeping her hand up his thigh despite his warning touch. True, she hadn't been taking her birth control because everything she put in _her_ body, she also put in her son's while feeding him. She didn't want Evan to suffer any possible negative side-effects from drinking her milk. She hadn't had Levi's cock in months, though, and what had started as a charitable course of action was rapidly turning into a selfish one. She was horny, damn it. She'd gone for too long without getting any, and they were married, for cripe's sake.

"Levi, you know that lactation tends to act as its own natural birth control, right? Very few women get pregnant while still breast feeding. It's nature's way of spacing childbirth and giving women a break between kids."

He regarded her suspiciously, his comely features wary. "Is that true, or is it just some bullshit you're making up to get down my pants?"

She laughed, tugging his shirt further open to reach in and stroke his tight pecs. Mindful of the bandaging covering his injured side, she ran her fingertips over his abdomen and she felt him tremble a little. Her poor grump. He'd been so considerate of her, never making demands of her after the birth of their child. He'd already explained to her that she was going to have to take the initiative when she was ready for intimacy again, because he refused to be a jackass and think with his pecker.

"Ah, I do love you," Hange murmured. "No, I'm not bullshitting you. It's not a one-hundred percent guarantee, you understand, but then no form of birth control really is."

"I see." His throat worked again as she traced a nipple with her fingertip, enticing it to hardness. Hange kissed his neck, sucking lightly on it as she fondled the sensitive bud. "H-hey, cut it out. You're gonna get yourself in trouble."

"Maybe I want trouble," she reasoned in a purr. She tugged on his earlobe with her teeth, and the hand on his thigh finally reached its goal to cup him between the legs. Oh yes, he was already good and hard. She loved shaking Levi's composure, and sex was about the only way she'd ever found to do that. "I miss feeling you inside of me, you shockingly endowed little shit."

He groaned audibly, his hips rolling to press his crotch more firmly into her attentive palm. "Fuck, Hange…why now? You've got no idea how hard it's been to act like a motherfucking gentleman and not pressure you."

"That seems like an oxymoron," she observed huskily. "A 'motherfucking gentleman'. I would think a gentleman wouldn't fuck a mother…and I don't want a gentleman right now. I want my husband and his big, fat dick inside of me. Now come on, my dear…let Dr. Hange administer to those blue balls. I have just the treatment for them."

Levi's eyes fluttered shut as she massaged his swollen length through his pants and teased his nipples. "You…bitch," he gasped, and then he turned his head to kiss her fiercely, his tongue thrusting in past her parted lips with a sort of desperation. So much for that iron willpower of his. Hange sucked greedily on the probing tongue, and she paused in her massage of his package to undo his pants.

"Mmm, good boy," she approved, breaking the kiss to trace his lips with the tip of her tongue. She quickly put a stop to it when he started to try and get her onto her back. "No, no, my dear…you're still injured. You just let me take care of everything, okay?"

Breathing heavily, he relaxed for her and he cupped her hips when she urged him to sit back again and straddled his lap. "I take it back," Levi husked, "you're not a bitch. You're the best fucking wife ever."

Hange tossed her head back and she laughed heartily. Ah, he was so amusing in his bluntness. She yanked his shirt all the way open to bare his chest, and she ran her hands over it with possessive eagerness. "Hot damn, you really are a fine specimen of male, Levi. And to think, for all these years I had been under the impression that you were scrawny! I couldn't have been more wrong."

"Tch. Thanks for the compliment…I think." He reached up to grab her by the back of her ponytail and yank her down for another kiss, effectively silencing her observations. Hange didn't mind one bit.

* * *

"Eren, where are you going?" Erwin noticed with some alarm that the young shifter was riding his horse straight to the wagon carrying Hange and Levi, and by the way it had begun to rock, he strongly suspected that they weren't interested in company right now.

"I was just going to check on the captain and see if I could get anything for him, sir."

"Eh, Eren… _Eren_ ," said Erwin urgently as the boy's hand reached out for the back flap of the wagon cover. He shook his head sternly when Jaeger cast a curious look at him. "Not now, son."

"Sir?" There was a rather puppy-like inquisitiveness in the young man's green eyes. "I just thought Captain Levi might want some tea or something to snack on."

Erwin pressed his lips together briefly, indecisive on how to explain the situation delicately. He had the terrible feeling he might laugh when some of the other teens from the 104th started looking at him with the same clueless innocence as Eren did. Surely some of them had at least a _little_ carnal experience by now. He himself lost his virginity before the age of sixteen.

_~Ah, Gretchen. That was the most unexpected and welcome surprise for me.~_

His thoughts went to the milkmaid that followed him into the stables that day and made him a man. She'd been a few years older than Erwin, with curly auburn hair, freckles and nice, big—

"Sir, am I missing something?"

Eren's inquisition cut through Erwin's thoughts of Gretchen and her curvy, wonderful body. Faintly embarrassed for getting so easily distracted, the tall blond commander snapped himself out of it to regard his reckless and ignorant young soldier. By the dawning look of comprehension on Jean's face, at least one of the kids understood why opening the back of that wagon right now was a very bad idea. Eren, however, was evidently still wet behind the ears—rather surprising, considering how his relationship with Mikasa seemed to be advancing.

"Er…Moblit?" Erwin looked over at Hange's second-in-command for guidance, having never had "the talk" with a young person before and stumped on how to proceed.

The other blond man looked as uncomfortable as Erwin felt, his gaze flicking to the wagon containing his superiors. "Um…Eren, the thing is that…oh damn, thanks a lot, sir. I don't know how to say it either."

Erwin covered his lips with two fingers, fighting laughter. He cleared his throat and he tried again. "Eren, sometimes married couples enjoy some…quality time alone. Even on an expedition like this."

When Eren proceeded to look clueless, Jean cleared it up rather candidly. "They're boning, you dumbass."

Eren started to scowl at the taller boy, always at odds with him. Then his look of anger faded into one of embarrassed understanding, and he blinked at the wagon—which was starting to rock harder in a way that could not be simply attributed to uneven ground.

"They're bone….oh. _Oh_!" Eren blushingly glanced at Mikasa, and she blushed as well and tugged her scarf further up her neck. Awkwardly, Jaeger stammered his next sentence. "Ah, I'll j-just um…leave them alone."

Erwin somehow managed to stifle his silent laughter before it could do more than make his shoulders twitch briefly, and he nodded. "That would be a wise choice, my friend. I doubt you want to be on the receiving end of Captain Levi's boot again."

"N-no sir, I wouldn't want that," agreed Eren. He fell back beside Mikasa again, and he muttered out the corner of his mouth to her. "Wow…awkward."

"No kidding," agreed Sasha, covering her mouth on a giggle.

Connie shrugged. "Well where did you guys think their kid came from? The stork didn't bring him!"

"Can we please stop discussing the captain and squad leader's personal business?" pleaded Armin, blushing as deeply as Eren and Mikasa. "It's rather like walking in on my parents, and it's not an image I really want engraved in my mind."

"Yes, let's stop talking about it," agreed Mikasa.

Jean shrugged. "Hey, Eren's the clueless bastard that was about to bust in on them."

* * *

Meanwhile inside the wagon, Hange and Levi heard at least a portion of the conversation outside, and she started to snicker against his shoulder. While her laughter provided a very interesting sensation around his cock, Levi was getting annoyed. "Oi, focus, shitty glasses. You're ruining the mood."

Hange raised her head, beaming down at him with amusement. She resumed her gyrations, pacifying him. "Sorry, my dear. I was just picturing poor Eren poking his head in to see me riding you. That would have been unfortunately traumatizing for the boy, I'm sure."

"Would have been traumatizing for me too," grunted Levi. He thrust upwards forcefully, nudging into her hard and deep. He smirked a little when she moaned and shuddered over him, and he reached down between her spread thighs to locate and fondle her clit. "Looks like I'll have to take some initiative to give you some perspective."

"Oh…ahh, Levi," she gasped, wrapping her legs around his waist. She started to bounce on him, effectively distracted from her mirth by his sensual actions. "God, I've missed this."

"I did too," he confessed breathlessly. He reached up with his free hand to cup the back of her head and draw her down for a kiss. His fingers moved in gentle circles over the hard nub of her clit, and he matched her rhythm, driving his swollen length in firmly with each thrust. Her small, pert breasts bounced with their motions, slightly fuller now after having a baby and nursing. Caught up in the moment, Levi felt a bold need to satisfy his curiosity. He never would have thought of such a thing before, but that was prior to having a kid with a woman. He figured that Hange was the least likely person to freak out about it, so he went ahead and gave in to his inquisitiveness.

Hange went still and shocked for a minute when he closed his lips around her nipple and flicked his tongue against it. A part of Levi admonished himself for being a giant pervert, and he wondered if he'd made an error in judgment. He tasted the sweet milk that immediately came out, and he kept insistently strumming Hange's clit. She shuddered and she stroked his hair, her face flushing deeper in response to the additional sensations.

"Mmm, sweetheart," she breathed, rocking harder on him. "I n-never would have expected…"

She trailed off, obviously enjoying his gentle suckling. Levi paused to look up at her, faintly worried he was pushing it. "You okay with that, Hange? I'm not trying to be some dirty bastard."

She smiled down at him, and she bowed her head to kiss him slowly before answering. "Why would I think you were dirty for wanting to kiss my breasts? It wouldn't be the first time, you silly thing."

Torn by conflicting feelings of desire and propriety, Levi shrugged. "I'm new to this. I've never been with a lactating woman before and I don't want you thinking I've got some kind of twisted fetish. I figured…well…"

Levi cupped her right breast in his palm, still looking up at her. "I figured these are for our kid, now. Does that make any sense or am I just being a fucking idiot?"

"Oh, Levi." She smiled at him fondly. "My boobs are for my husband, too. In fact, I like feeling your hands and lips on them. I might not have much in the chest department, but it feels good when you give them attention, okay? I don't think it's dirty. In fact, the day you don't want to play with them is the day I'll start to wonder if you're still attracted to me."

"I don't see you needing to worry about that," he said sincerely, and then he resumed kissing and licking at said breasts.

Hange shuddered, clenching around him tellingly. Within moments she was coming hard, and Levi grunted as her inner muscles squeezed rhythmically around him. She panted his name, and he kept stroking her clit until she went limp with release against him. Levi got impassioned and he forgot his promise to cooperate with her. Hange protested breathlessly as he rolled over with her and pinned her beneath him.

"Levi…your injury! Bad boy!"

"It's fine," he insisted in a voice roughened with lust and need. He pushed her thighs further apart and he lifted one of her legs to rest it over his shoulder, groaning at the deeper penetration. "Fuck, Hange…I warned you I was at the end of my tether."

"Oh God," she moaned, clutching at his ass as he started pounding her. "L-Levi…darling, don't…overdo it. Unnh!"

He eased up, more out of concern for her than out of worry that he might re-open his wound. "Hurt?"

Hange shook her head. "Absolutely…not. I just…don't want you angering that…gash. Ah, sweetheart…right there!"

Satisfied that he wouldn't get much further protest from her, Levi kept pumping in at that angle. After all, his wife appreciated it when he got a bit rough, and he felt like some beast in rut by now. Groaning, he kept at it, his panting getting harsher by the moment.

"Shit, I needed this," growled the captain, face flushed with his efforts. Hange reached up to trace his sweat-beaded features, her lips parted and gasping as his thrusts shifted her on the blankets.

"S-sorry to make you wait for so long."

"Unh…it's…okay." Levi clenched his jaw and he reared back, tilting his head back as he started to come. He grunted and moaned her name, depositing a heavy load inside of her. He cursed impulsively, his voice husky and rough with pleasure.

This definitely made up for their brief period of celibacy while Hange adjusted to being a new mother. Trembling, Levi collapsed on top of her and he rested his cheek against her chest, letting her drop the leg that was over his shoulder. He sighed with contentment as she stroked his hair and rubbed his back.

"I'm definitely…not going to go without anymore," she promised, wheezing. "Mmm, my tiny captain. That was wonderful."

"Agreed," he panted, utterly spent. "Hey, why are you…squirming like that? Thought you…liked the afterglow and you're already…trying to kick me out."

"I'm just trying to check your dressing," she excused, running her hand over the bandaging on his side.

Levi propped himself up on his elbows to give her more room, checking a sigh. "I feel fine."

"Yes, but you have a ridiculous tolerance for pain," she insisted, eyeing the dressing sharply for any signs of fresh bleeding. "You probably wouldn't even notice if you tore a suture, you little shit. Humor your shitty glasses."

He dutifully put up with it until she seemed satisfied that it was okay. "See? I told you I was okay."

Hange kissed his throat, and she embraced him. "Just making sure, Ackerman."

* * *

The expedition went on, and they successfully established another supply base and charted out parts of the map that were previously unexplored. They suffered some losses as was to be expected, but the command ranks and everyone from the 104th made it safely back to the wall. Hange practically ran people over in her haste to get back to headquarters and to her child. Levi was right behind her, and the scientist gave their nanny a fright when she shoved the door to their chambers open hard enough to make it bang against the wall.

"Oh, you're back!" Katherine was standing over the bassinet, one hand pressed against her bosom from being so startled.

"Where is he?" Hange said, hurrying anxiously to the bassinet. "Where is my precious little guy?"

"Probably right there in the bassinet, idiot," muttered Levi. He came up behind his wife, clearly just as eager to see their son as she was. His tense expression relaxed as Hange lifted the swaddled infant out of his bed and held him against her chest. "See? He's fine."

Katherine's baby, resting in the other bassinet, got woken from her nap and started to cry. The nanny quickly went to her and picked her up, soothing her.

"Oh, my sweet," cooed Hange, kissing Evan's chubby little cheek. "Mommy missed you so much! You remember me, don't you? Were we gone for too long?"

Evan gurgled and reached for a dangling strand of his mother's chestnut hair. Evidently he hadn't forgotten her or Levi's face, as she'd unreasonably feared. Levi gave the infant his finger to squeeze, standing beside Hange and peering down at him.

"I told you he wasn't going to forget us, four eyes. Now you can relax."

"I can't help but be a little irrational," excused Hange with a bright grin down at her son. She sniffled, her eyes tearing up. "I'm still very new to this. Katherine, thank you for taking such good care of him for us."

"Absolutely," assured the younger woman with a smile, "and I completely understand separation anxiety. I honestly don't know how you managed, ma'am. I would go mad if I were away from my child for a whole week."

Levi withdrew his finger from his son's grasp, and he reached into his jacket to withdraw a money pouch. "There's a bit extra for your trouble," he informed Katherine. "Namely Hange storming in like a lunatic and nearly giving you a heart attack."

Hange clucked her tongue, but she was too relieved to be reunited with her child to dispute him. For once, her mind was nowhere near research or her captive titan subject. She had eyes only for her baby.

* * *

_Approximately two months later:_

Hange stared at the sample with wide eyes, watching as it began to turn blue. She bowed her head and she sighed. "Shit. Shit, shit, shit! What in the hell does that man _eat_ that's making his sperm so damned potent?"

She stared accusingly at the beaker containing her urine and the chemicals. Maybe she got the mixture wrong, or maybe it was a fluke. After all, it wasn't always a hundred percent accurate test.

"I'll draw some blood and test it," Hange decided aloud. "Surely it's got to be a false positive."

She disposed of the mixture and she cleaned the beaker out. She didn't know how to feel about this, if she was indeed pregnant again. Yes, she did want to have a few rugrats with Levi eventually, but she wasn't expecting to get knocked up so soon after delivering her son. She'd only had the chance to go out on one expedition, for crying out loud!

"It isn't his fault," she reasoned with herself as she passed through the corridors, heading for her lab. She couldn't blame her husband. After all, she was the one that insisted they could start having sexual relations again before going back on her birth control. Still, it wasn't fair. Reminding herself not to panic just yet, Hange went into her lab, rolled up her sleeve and snatched up a tourniquet to tie over her arm. She flexed her hand into a fist and she dabbed some astringent on her inner elbow, waiting for the vein to swell. Once it did, she got out a sterile syringe and she drew a little blood.

"Come on, body. Tell me you're just fucking with me and this was a false alarm. I'm not ready for another baby! I'm still learning how to take care of this one!"

Alas, as she tested the blood sample, she found that her body was not playing a prank on her and she was indeed expecting again. Hange groaned after double and triple-checking the results, and she plopped down on her stool.

"Damn it, Captain Cranky." She bit her lip, and for a very brief moment she considered the possibility of ending the pregnancy without telling Levi. Hange immediately shook her head at the thought, and she laid her hand over her flat tummy. "No, I can't do that."

She stood up, braced herself and prepared to deliver the news to her husband.

* * *

Levi was in the mess hall enjoying a cup of tea when Hange came in and sat beside him at the table. She was staring straight ahead in a somewhat dazed manner, and he frowned at her quietly. He knew she'd gotten plenty of sleep the night before, so he couldn't attribute that glossed-over stare with another insomnia attack. After some vigorous sex, she'd been out like a light and she didn't wake up until the baby started crying for a feeding. She fell asleep nursing him an Levi put him back in his bassinet when Evan had his fill.

"Hit your head or something?" he finally asked when she just kept staring at nothing. She turned her head to look at him blankly, and Levi had to admit he was feeling some concern. "Hey shitty glasses, what's wrong?" He sipped his tea and he awaited her response.

"I'm having a baby."

Levi coughed and sputtered, in the middle of swallowing his brew when she said that. "What?" he choked, thinking he'd misheard.

"I'm pregnant again," she explained flatly.

He blinked suspiciously at her, and then his eyes lowered to her stomach. "How?"

One of her brows quirked. "Oh honey, if you don't know that by now, I can't help you."

He waved a hand and set his teacup down. "But…what the hell happened to 'nursing women don't get knocked up' and 'it's nature's birth control'?"

"I said that _most_ women have a grace period while nursing," she corrected, "and most women don't have husbands with iron fucking sperm."

Levi now bore the same blank stare as Hange. "Shit."

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Shit."

Again, she nodded, and she patted his knee. "I'm right there with you, Ackerman."

He looked at her, his dark brows knitting over his gray eyes. "You're sure about this?"

Hange shrugged and nodded. "I started having morning sickness recently. I was hoping it was just a flu virus, but all tests have confirmed it. We're having another Levi baby."

He looked down at his crotch as accusingly as Hange had stared at her urine sample earlier. "This is all your fucking fault," he told it.

She blurted a sudden laugh, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Oh sweetie, it's not. Well, it is, but my lady parts are just as responsible as your man parts. It's…it's going to be all right. I'm not thrilled about spending another nine months cooped up behind these walls, but the damage is done and I'm just going to have to put on my big girl panties and deal with it."

He sighed. "No help for it, I guess. Isn't there some alternative birth control you could start taking after this one? Something safe to take while nursing?"

"Oh, there are a lot of options," she said, flushing a little, "and I probably should have looked into them, instead of trusting my body not to get fertilized before I wean Evan from the breast. I'm sorry, Levi. I'm such an idiot."

He looked at her as she put her face in her hands with a groan, and he sighed again. "Hey, cut it out. I could have practiced some more self restraint and I knew there was a risk. Yeah, you probably should have looked into some other kind of birth control, but I know you didn't purposely get knocked up. You thought it was safe enough."

"Still, I should have thought with my head instead of my crotch. I think we might have conceived while we were on the last expedition and I jumped your bones in the wagon."

Levi shrugged. "Maybe…or it happened sometime after we got back. We've been going at it pretty often."

"That's what I get for being so greedy." She smirked at him, and she ruffled his hair. "I can't seem to keep my hands off you these days."

"Have I complained about that?" Levi smirked a little as well. "I guess this means we've got to visit that baby shop and invest in another bassinet. Better tell Erwin, too. He needs to know he can't assign you to the next expedition."

* * *

That evening, Hange announced her pregnancy at dinner, in front of all of the scouts currently residing at headquarters. Sasha was absolutely delighted and she squealed with excitement over the news.

"You guys are having another baby? Miss Hange, that's great!"

Erwin just looked confused. "But…you just _had_ a child not five months ago."

"No shit," muttered Levi into his drink. He'd chosen to have something a bit stiffer than tea with his dinner, and the smell of brandy arose from the glass.

"Well, you know," Hange sighed, spreading her hands. "Nature can be a bitch, eh?"

The commander looked at his right-hand man with faint exasperation on his handsome features. "Levi, would you please consider practicing some restraint, in the future? You're keeping my titan expert out of the field."

Levi stared at his superior, his mouth falling open slightly. "What, you think I did this alone? There's another responsible party besides me, asshole."

"All right boys, enough," Hange said, making a "time out" gesture with her hands. "I'm just as much to blame as my husband and this wasn't a planned pregnancy. Of course, neither was the first one, but this one _really_ threw me for a loop. Erwin, you'll just have to do without me participating in expeditions for a while longer. I can still commit to my studies, and Levi can do any of the physical testing on my deviant that I require. He's actually really good at it."

Levi put a palm to his face. "Fuck, I forgot about that. Shit."

"You're the one that doesn't want me having close encounters with titan subjects while I'm carrying, darling," she reminded with a grin. "You'll just have to suck it up."

"Don't worry, Captain," offered Moblit. "I can handle most of it, when my duties don't take me away. You don't have to do it all and I'm used to it."

That seemed to pacify Levi somewhat, and he nodded and took another sip of his drink. Hange's nose wrinkled when the smell of the liquor drifted her way, and she stood up abruptly. "Er…excuse me, comrades. I've…I've gotta go!"

Everyone stared as Hange lurched away hastily, charging out of the mess hall with her hand clamped over her mouth. Levi glanced down at the drink in his hand, reminded that some smells really bothered his wife during pregnancy.

"Poor Hange," Eren sighed. "Maybe someone should follow her."

"I'm on it," agreed Levi. He gulped down the last of his drink, wiped his mouth and went to find his ailing spouse.

* * *

"So we're still going with Lillian if it's a girl, this time?" Hange asked later that night when she and Levi settled down for bed.

"Sure, if you want." Their son was napping on his chest after being fed, and Levi kept one hand on his back as he discussed the issue of names with Hange. "What if it's a boy?"

"Hmm." She sipped her glass of water and she thought on it. "Michael?"

Seeing the face he made, she smirked. "I guess that one's out, then."

"Just seems a little generic to me."

"Aloysius, then?"

Levi frowned at her. "Way too fancy."

Hange poked him in the arm. "Well _you_ come up with something then, grump."

"I came up with the girl name," he reminded her.

"Well, I'm the one that's going to have to carry it for nine months and squeeze it out of my body, so you can at least take care of the name!" Hange grimaced at the unsavory reminder of what she was going to have to do again. "Oh, no."

"What?" Levi noticed the dread on her face and in his voice, and he put a hand over her stomach. "Having cramps or something? Do you need to puke?"

"N-no, the baby is fine and so am I. It's just…childbirth. I'm going to have to go through that again, and I was really hoping to have enough time to forget how damned painful it was before having our next kid."

His hooded eyes softened slightly on her, and he cupped her chin. "Hey, I can't do it for you, but I'll be right there with you just like the last time, shitty glasses. I guess that's not much comfort to you right now, though."

She placed her hand over his, looking into his eyes with a sigh. "No, but I'd rather have you coaching me than do it alone. You just avoid getting eaten or maimed in the meantime, shrimp. I don't want to be giving birth without your grumpy ass at my side."

"Heh. It's a promise." He released her chin and he patted Evan's back gently when the infant stirred and whimpered. The child burped, and Levi grimaced when he got some spit-up on his chest as a result. "Hange, hand me that rag on the nightstand, would you?"

"Here, I'll get it," she offered, picking up the rag to wipe off Levi's bare chest. She smiled at him and she kissed him. "You're so good with him. You even put up with the messy stuff."

"Tch. Baby spew is nothing, compared to some of the stuff I'm going to get on me when I have to help you with your research on your pet titan."

* * *

-To be continued


End file.
